Following the success of Traffic Clubs for pre-school children in Scandinavia, material for a UK Traffic Club was developed and trialled by TRL in 1981. The Club material consisted of five booklets: the first for use by children and carers of 3 to 3 and a half year olds; the second for 3 and a half to 4 year olds and so on, up to the age of about 6. Based on this work the General Accident Eastern Region Traffic Club was launched in May 1989 in seven eastern counties of England. At the beginning of the first year of the operation of the Club, random samples of children ages between 3 and a half and 4 and their carers were interviewed from this Eastern region and from a Control region. The results showed some differences in behaviour had been induced by the Traffic Club. Further surveys by TRL in late 1992 and early 1993 aimed to re-assess the reported behaviour, attitudes and knowledge of children and their carers as the children reached the end of the series of five books. This was done by comparing the responses of a sample of children and their carers in the Eastern region with a sample taken from a Control region. As some children in the Eastern region sample had received the first book but had chosen not to join the Club (and hence received no more books, the effects of book 1 alone were also analysed. Significant differences were observed between the children who had completed the course, children who had had book 1 only and children in the Control region who were not exposed to the Traffic Club. (A)
Samenvatting