This paper makes some proposals about educational objectives and priorities for further reducing road accident rates for children, and considers by what methods these objectives might best be met. Pedestrians probably need procedural knowledge, which is not easily acquired verbally. The content of current education programmes could also be improved. Thus a much more practical approach is needed, concentrating on the behavioural rather than the declarative aspects of skill. Behavioural training may be possible on a wide scale, in a club-like atmosphere, if parents can be persuaded to participate. The authors are currently setting up such a road training initiative in a large, extremely accident-prone, area of Glasgow, to determine how effectively this approach can be implemented on a large scale. Another skill, whose importance has not yet been recognised and which is not currently taught, is the ability to identify roadside locations where it is safe to cross, and the ability to distinguish these from dangerous locations. This skill was investigated by asking children aged 5 to 11 to construct 'safest possible routes' near their schools.
Samenvatting