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Cartoon of school children lining up for school bus.

Road safety education is about students practising how to be safe. They may describe, review or communicate what they do. It’s more than this, too.

Young people can critically explore what it means to be a citizen and how to contribute to the well-being of society. They could:

  • consider different perspectives about rights, roles and responsibilities in road safety
  • identify road safety issues and offer solutions
  • question how decision-makers meet the safety needs of everyone.

Planning for these outcomes will lead to students exploring values and using key competencies such as thinking, and participating and contributing.

Questions to consider

  • How will students use thinking skills to make good decisions and shape future actions?
  • What would help students ask questions about road safety issues in their lives?
  • How can they challenge assumptions held by our school community about problems and solutions?
  • Do students have a sense of belonging to their community and society?
  • Are there authentic ways for them to participate in improving road safety in their patch?

 

Why do our young people need to learn about road safety?

In 2023, 8 children died on New Zealand’s roads (up to age 14). There were 120 deaths of people aged 15 to 30. In 2022, young drivers – aged 15 to 24 – had primary responsibility for 82 fatal crashes, 519 serious injury crashes, and 2452 minor injury crashes.

Road safety remains a serious issue among young people.

By developing their knowledge, skills and disposition towards safety in our transport system, they become empowered as citizens. In turn, young people can transfer knowledge and norms to others around them.

 

Next page:

Checklist: road safety in early childhood

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