The Children's Traffic Club in Scotland, which is run by the Scottish Road Safety Campaign, has developed a series of gym cards to raise children's awareness of crossing the road, playing safely and the dangers of traffic.
The cards, which refer to actions children can take to prevent accidents or alert them to dangers, were piloted at the Ardencraig Nursery School in Castlemilk, Glasgow. Nurseries and playgroups can now obtain them from their local road safety officers.
Ardencraig headteacher Elaine McGuinness said, 'They chose our nursery because we already do a lot of road safety work with the children. The cards refer to things like holding hands when crossing the road or doing up seatbelts. It's a fun way for the children to learn.'
The scheme has secured the backing of the Scottish Executive. Deputy minister for education Nicol Stephen said, 'Nurseries and playgroups can be important in laying the foundations for road safety education. Gym cards will provide them with a practical, effective and fun tool to link road safety with health and fitness.'
Deputy minister for enterprise, transport and lifelong learning Lewis Macdonald said, 'The Scottish Executive is committed to improving children's road safety and I am delighted that these gym cards are available to all nurseries and playgroups in Scotland.'
He said the Executive was determined to reduce the number of children killed and injured on Scotland's roads. 'In 2001 the number of children killed and seriously injured on the roads was 36 per cent below the level of the mid-1990s, but there is still a long way to go.
'We must continue to look for ways to encourage children to take on the lessons of road safety in a way that makes it fun to learn.'
Parents enrolling their children at nurseries or playgroups will receive a pre-school registration pack to encourage their children to join the Children's Traffic Club in Scotland. Membership is free and children who join receive a series of road safety books.
