Development and Property Services

Roads and Transportation

ACCIDENT PREVENTION - Future Activities

The following pages define specific activities which will be carried out by various agencies over the next three years. The activities are directed at reducing the risks for particular road user groups and an indication is given as to which agency will carry out the work.

Child Passengers

Too many parents continue to be unaware of the requirement to provide suitable restraints for young children, and to ensure that older children wear seatbelts.

Action
1) Make publicity materials available at appropriate outlets throughout the year, with additional publicity in support of any national campaigns (Road Safety Unit)
2) Consider a further media campaign in conjunction with North and South Ayrshire Councils (Road Safety Unit).

Child Pedestrians Under Five Years of Age

On average 8 children under five are involved in an accident each year. This is a particularly vulnerable group who need to be accompanied by an adult when on journeys and closely supervised when at play. Although there is a benefit in working directly with the children themselves, the main thrust of the work needs to be with parents who are in a position to protect their children directly, set them a good example, and provide continuous explanation and instruction in real traffic conditions.

Action
1) Set up arrangement with Health Visitors on the promotion of the Children's Traffic Club for Scotland(CTCS) with individual families (Road Safety Unit, Health Board).
2) Issue CTCS support pack to Nursery Schools and make available on a loan basis to playgroups (Road Safety Unit, Education, Community Services)
3) Consider media campaign to promote CTCS after review of uptake figures (Road Safety Unit)
4) Issue newsletter to playgroups and Nursery Schools annually (Road Safety Unit)
5) Conduct a survey of parents to assess the role they play in ensuring the safety of their children. Results would be publicised (Road Safety Unit)
6) Assess the need for new resources which could be developed locally (Road Safety Unit, Education)
7) Provide input into Nursery Nurse training courses (Road Safety Unit)
8) Provide publicity materials at appropriate outlets e.g. children's shops (Road Safety Unit).

Pedestrians of Primary School Age

Approximately 30 per cent of pedestrian casualties occur to this age group with, on average, some 30 children involved each year. There has been great emphasis in the past on this age group and this will continue because of their vulnerability and the existence of effective programmes . However, more effort will be put in to devising new programmes and approaches than has been the case in the past.

Action
1) Issue newsletter to schools on an annual basis (Road Safety Unit)
2) Organise visits from theatre groups as available (Road Safety Unit, Others)
3) Participation in multi-agency events such as Danger Detectives (Road Safety Unit, Police, Fire Brigade, Environmental Health, Scottish Power etc)
4) Conduct surveys of pupils and parents on various aspects of road safety and publicise results (Road Safety Unit)
5) Incorporation of road safety in the repertoire of storytellers employed by Libraries staff (Road Safety Unit, Community Services)
6) Provision of resources to Paediatric Unit, Crosshouse Hospital (Road Safety Unit)
7) Develop liaison arrangements with the Quality Development Officer responsible for Environmental Studies with an initial view to developing a road safety policy for schools as part of the Environmental Studies Policy, the inclusion of road safety in school handbooks, and possible identification of best practice (Road Safety Unit, Education).
8) Provision of resources to Educational Resource Centre in Dreghorn (Road Safety Unit)
9) Assess feasibility of introducing a pilot child pedestrian training scheme (Road Safety Unit)
10) Issue guidance to parents on safe parking near schools. Enforcement action by Police as required (Road Safety Unit, Police)
11) Provide published material on school travel to Education Department for distribution to schools (Road Safety Unit, Education)
12) Encourage use of School Transport Pack with pupils (Road Safety Unit, Education)
13) Assess the feasibility of introducing a Safe Route to School pilot scheme (Roads and Transportation, Education)
14) Conduct 'Back to School' publicity on an annual basis (Road Safety Unit)
15) Promote the need for driving slowly near schools (Road Safety Unit)
16) Review available programme for summer playschemes (Road Safety Unit)

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