The different approaches to road safety education that have been used in the past are outlined. Modern methods place more emphasis on behaviour, skills, practical training and meaningful training contexts than older methods. The Kerbcraft roadside training programme for young children and a computer simulation resource that is aimed at slightly older children are described. The Kerbcraft programme, aimed at 5 to7-year-old children, is designed to develop three skills: safe place finding, how to cross near parked vehicles if this is unavoidable, and how to cross at different kinds of junction. The computer simulation involved the children constructing routes between certain locations and taught safe place finding, attention and visual search, visual timing and traffic gap selecting, and perception of other road users' intentions. Trained volunteers implemented both programmes. The benefits of a volunteer-led community approach are described.
Abstract