This week (1st – 7th April 2019) is the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) Family Safety Week with the focus this year on pedestrian safety.
Unfortunately in 2017, RoSPA have reported that 5,838 children were injured in road accidents. The peak times for these accidents are unsurprisingly during the ‘school run’ periods i.e. from 8 – 9am and 3 – 4pm.
Road safety awareness is crucial and can save lives. Road safety officers visit primary school children to give them pedestrian training but unfortunately, due to cuts that have been made, some school children are not receiving this essential training. As such, RoSPA have produced a free, practical pedestrian training pack to help deliver training in this vital life skill. Please visit their website to access this free training pack.
The Green Cross Code
To be safe on the road you need to use the Green Cross Code:
- Think – find a safe place to cross the road. If you can’t see a crossing, remember to cross where you can see in all directions and where drivers will see you.
- Stop – just before you get to the kerb, stop. Stand on the pavement near the kerb and make sure you can see the traffic. Do not step on the road.
- Look – look around you for traffic. Make sure that you listen carefully for traffic that you can’t see. Check to your right hand side first, then check to your left and check your right side again before you cross.
- Wait – if traffic is coming then let it pass. If you are not on a crossing, wait until it is safe to cross. Once the traffic has passed look around again and listen.
- Look and listen again – when it is safe and there is no traffic, walk straight across the road. Make sure you keep looking and listening whilst you cross the road. Do not walk diagonally and never run across the road because you may fall over and you may not get up in time.
- Arrive alive – look and keep looking whilst you cross the road.
The Green Cross Code is simple, easy to follow and saves lives.
Educating pedestrians is of course only one aspect of road safety and the education of drivers as well as other motorists is also vital. For further information regarding what RoSPA is doing this Family Safety Week please visit their website.
Our personal injury team regularly work with people who have been injured on the roads and understand the devastating impact these injuries can have on victims and their families. If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, please contact our specialist team today on 01616 966 229.
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