Primary schools are being asked to join in with a big event, expected to bring together 100,000 children, to march for road safety during Child Safety Week.
The Giant Walking Bus, which is sponsored by Bridgestone, teaches children about walking safely whilst also promoting safe driving to parents and local communities in order to help protect children travelling on foot. The project also raises much needed funds for the charity Brake, to campaign for safer roads and to help support people who are injured or bereaved due to road accidents.
Each school that takes part will receive a resource pack to help them promote road safety. On the day itself, which is scheduled for Wednesday 20th June 2012, each group will set out from their school gates at 10am to complete a 500m walk along a safe route, carrying signs saying 'slow down around schools'. If no safe route is available then the children can complete the march in a playground.
As part of the event participating schools will complete a summer term project on safety, health and sustainable travel. Leading up to the day itself the children can research dangers on the road as well as pollution and transport choices, as well as making use of their creative talents to make 'slow down' and 'get walking' placards and other resources.
The walking bus is an annual event organized by the charity Brake, which tries to break its record for the biggest walking bus event each year. Currently the record stands at 119,697 children marching in different locations around the country at the same time.
The statistics show why events such as this are so important in the most horrifying way possible. In 2010 alone 1,741 child pedestrians, all under 16 years of age, were unnecessarily killed or seriously injured on UK roads. Other European countries have made much more progress on eliminating the unnecessary deaths. Sweden, for example, has a child pedestrian death rate per capita which is 8 times better than the UK.
In addition to awareness raising events such as the Giant Walking Bus the charity Brake is calling for government action on child pedestrian road deaths, such as a 20mph speed limit as the norm in built up areas, and investment in safe walking and cycling facilities such as cycle paths, crossings, and adequate pavements.
The fundraising director for Brake, Katie Shephard, says of the Giant Walking Bus:
"In helping educators teach road safety and promote safer walking, this event brings together vital issues for schools: the safety, well-being and health of pupils and sustainable travel. By uniting on this walk, schools send out the message in local communities that road safety is important to them and crucial for the children. The event provides teachers with a valuable opportunity to teach road safety in a fun and high profile event, while Brake calls on drivers to slow down to protect children."
