Transcript GRSP Annual Report 2006 - Union of the Baltic Cities

Global Road Safety Partnerships
Good Practice on Road Safety
Children and Youth
What can we do to increase the road safety among children
and young people?, Gdynia (Poland)
Gayle Di Pietro
GRSP is a hosted programme of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
GRSP’s mission
The sustainable reduction of
road death and injury in low
and middle income countries
Government
Business
Civil
society
GRSP is a hosted programme of the International
Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
What is not known
 The number of children and young
people killed, seriously injured or
disabled as a result of traffic
crashes in not precisely known.
 There is a lack of data, but
underreporting rather than over
reporting occurs.
What is known.
 The road network is
constructed without
considering children
 Children are not born
knowing how to use the
road system
 Children and young
people are vulnerable on
or near roads
 Children cannot always
control their own safety
Risk factors
Child and Youth related factors:
Physical development
Size, height, growth patterns,
co-ordination, balance
Cognitive development
Mastering concepts,
judgements, decision
making, reasoning, impulse
control
Risk taking behaviour
Intentional & unintentional
Peer influence
Gender
Including expectations
 Move away from the idea that children
can adapt their behaviour to manage
traffic.
 Recognise that children’s needs
should be addressed in the design
and management of the road system
Interventions
 World report on road
traffic injury prevention
describes proven
interventions and
promotes a systems
approach
Safe System – Is it safe for children?
RS MANAGEMENT
Institutional capacity
Systems approach
Funding
Poor design
Poor construction
Poor maintenance
ROADS
VEHICLES
PEOPLE
Low Country standards
Individual poor choices
Poor maintenance
Helmets, Seat belts
Speed, Drink Drive
Vulnerable people
Low country standards
Poor individual choices
Immediate
Death or injury
TRAUMA
CARE
delayed
Death or injury

 Exploring the systems approach
using the 5 pillars.
1. Road Safety Management
 Recognise needs of vulnerable road users
in this car dominant society
 Provide space for walking and cycling and
sustainable public transport systems –
separate road user types
 Provide budget (eg. schools traffic wardens)
 Manage travel speeds – particularly around
schools (traffic calming)
 Legislate to protect children's safety
2. Roads
 Address black
spots
 Use traffic calming
measures
 Separate VRUs
from fast moving
traffic
 Provide pedestrian
refuges
 Change traffic
lights sequences
 Overhead bridges
3. Vehicles
 Establish standards
that contribute to the
safety of children
 Vehicle design to
reduce injury
 Braking systems
 Alcohol interlocks
 Child restraints
 Child helmets
4. People
 Road safety education
needs to start at birth!
 Role modelling
 Roadside skills
development
 Conspicuity (of road
users & roadside
environment treatments)
 Use of safety equipment
 Educate all about the
limitations of children &
young people
5. Trauma care
 Learn to call for
assistance
 First to the scene
care (Safe scene
then ABC)
 Provide prompt,
efficient & effective
pre-hospital care
 What is normal for
the adult may not
be normal for the
child
Focus on behaviours
Filling the holes
With good practice
PEOPLE DEFENCE
Does RSE in schools work?
 Problems with (for example):
evaluation methodology
time frame
objectives
teaching & learning methods
content
If education doesn’t work, why do we send
children to school?
Road Safety education
Achievable & specific aims
Stage/age appropriate
Continuous & sequential
Targeting the risky behaviour
Culturally correct
Embedded
Not busy work
Applicable in different contexts
Road Safety Education
 Use appropriate
pedagogy
 Involve parents
 Train teachers
 Traffic Clubs
 Safe Routes to
School
 Whole community
approach
Young new drivers
 Most vulnerable of
all road users
 Pre-licence:
 Multi tasking on
complex tasks
 Resisting Peer
influence
 Speed
management
 Error spotting
 Hazard recognition
Young people
Graduated licensing programmes
 Extended learner period
 Provisional or intermediate
 Full licence
Sometimes:
 Alcohol restrictions
 Passenger restrictions
 Speed restrictions
 Type of vehicle
 Curfews
In conclusion
Systems approach delivers greater
road safety for children and young
people
Children cannot easily adapt
behaviour to cope with traffic
Address children’s needs in the design
and management of the whole road
system
Use proven and effective strategies