The SaferPeterborough partnership is reminding pupils and
drivers to be aware of potential road dangers as thousands of
students across the city make their way back to school next week
after their summer break.
In 2009, 10 children aged 15 and under were killed or seriously
injured on Peterborough roads and 74 were slightly injured.
Nationally, one in five teenagers has been involved in an accident
or a near-miss on their way home from school.
Traffic is the biggest cause of accidental death amongst 12 to
16 year-olds and young people using roads become distracted when
talking to friends, listening to music or using their mobile
phones.
Clair George, road safety officer for the SaferPeterborough
partnership, said: "Some students will be walking to school without
an adult for the first time and this greater independence carries
more responsibility.
"So we are urging young people to be careful on the roads and we
would like to remind parents of young children always to have an
adult accompany them to and from school. The best way to teach road
safety is to practise in real life situations, as children learn by
example and parents and carers are excellent role models."
As well as giving advice to pupils and parents, road safety
officers will be warning motorists to take extra care on their
journey to work with children returning to school and school
crossing patrollers back on duty.
Road safety literature aimed at children, young people and
parents will be distributed to all city primary and secondary
schools. This will be followed up with various road safety
education initiatives delivered in partnership at schools
throughout the academic year.
Ends
Additional information:
- Ten children aged 15 and under were killed or seriously injured
on Peterborough roads in 2009 and 74 were slightly injured.
- A total of 45 teenagers aged 12 to 16 were hurt on Peterborough
roads during 2009, of whom 24 per cent were pedestrians and 28 per
cent were cyclists.
- Young people aged between 11 and 16 are more at risk of being
killed or seriously injured as a pedestrian or cyclist in a road
accident than other age groups.
- It is against the law not to stop for a school crossing
patroller. Courts have the power to levy fines of up to £1,000, add
points to a driver's licence and impose bans on drivers who fail to
stop.
- The SaferPeterborough partnership delivers various road safety
programmes in primary and secondary schools throughout the
year.
- For further information about road safety, visit
www.dft.gov.uk/think
- SaferPeterborough is a partnership of organisations that work
together to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, to ensure that
Peterborough is a place where people feel safe. Its priorities
cover serious acquisitive crime, anti-social behaviour, domestic
abuse, violent crime (including alcohol-related crime and
disorder), sexual offences, road safety, hate crime, arson and
substance misuse.
- The partners include Peterborough City Council, NHS
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Cambridgeshire Fire and
Rescue Service, Cambridgeshire Police Authority and Cambridgeshire
and Peterborough Probation Trust.