In 1997 New Zealand commenced a three year trial designed to discover ways in which the delivery of road safety education in primary schools could be increased in quantity and quality. The National Road Safety Plan lists as one of its three aims the development of an enhanced safety culture. One way to influence a safety culture is to reach children before their attitudes are set. The trial was also tasked with identifying the best and most cost-efficient way to achieve this. Teachers' work has intensified as schools address changes in the school environment and the national curriculum. Any recommendations which added to their workload were destined to fail. It was decided to facilitate development of the "Essential Skills" area of the new curriculum framework. Teachers were shown how to meet their existing obligations to teach compulsory parts of the curriculum using a road safety context. Teachers, generally, have welcomed the emphasis and changed perceptions advocated in our approach to this project. Seminars have been lively and interactive and have, in the main, generated a great deal of energy back in the classroom. As we had predicted, schools welcomed regular contact with project facilitators both for additional knowledge and support and as a reminder to keep focused on the agreed programme. The evidence is strong that we have selected a most appropriate concept for further developing road safety education. (A)
Samenvatting