Traffic safety education at the primary school level : a study to establish minimum standards for traffic safety education at the primary school level for teachers initial training in the European Union EU countries.

Within a preliminary study (European study in Traffic Safety Education at the Pre and Primary School Level, 1996) the actual status of traffic safety education at the pre and primary school level in EU countries as well as the (possible) ways of implementation of traffic safety education were evaluated. This evaluation concentrated on the different forms of organisation and school structures in the individual countries, the specific education of the teachers, contents and methods used for traffic education, etc. The ERSF and the PRI decided to carry out a follow-up study. The main objectives are: definition of common main content of the curriculum (leaving space for adoptions considering local characteristics, cultural influences, different mentalities and languages); definition and agreement upon a minimum time available for each school year to realise the contents of the curriculum; definition of recommendations for teachers' education and training as the quality of education depends to a large extent on the qualification of the teachers; and definition of proceedings for updating the curriculum (for school and teachers) regularly to create the basis for the raising of an adequate European traffic safety culture. (A)