Why is road safety important?
- Road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young people worldwide
- More than six children are killed or seriously injured on roads every day in the UK
- Road crashes have a devastating effect on families and communities
- Pollution from traffic causes respiratory illnesses and other diseases
- Active travel such as walking and cycling is good for the nation’s health and good for the planet
- Road crashes cost the UK economy around £36 billion every year.
What is a road safety hero?
Everyone who helps make journeys safer and healthier or helps care for someone after a crash is a road safety hero. We can all be road safety heroes, too by using roads safely to protect ourselves and other people.
We all have a responsibility to use roads safely to protect ourselves and others. We can choose safe ways to travel and safe vehicles, obey road rules, travel at safe speeds and educate people about safe road use.
Everyone can be a road safety hero
Parents and carers can help keep young children safe by:
• Holding hands with them when walking near roads
• Crossing roads at safe places
• Riding with children on safe paths away from traffic
• Making sure children wear a cycle helmet to protect their head if they fall off
• Making sure a child is sitting in a well-fitted, appropriately sized child seat if travelling by car.
Parent and carers can also set a good example by:
- driving at safe speeds,
- never using a phone while driving,
- always wearing a seat belt and never driving after drinking or taking drugs.
All parents and carers can help children and young people use roads safely and choose active ways to travel or public transport where possible.
See below for some fun Road Safety Activities for your family
- Road Safety Week Colouring Sheet
- Road Safety Week Activity Sheet
- Road Safety Week Activity Sheet Answers
