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The Driving Instructors Association calls
for road safety education to be compulsory in schools - 15th
November 2007
The
Driving Instructors Association (DIA) has said that the
government should make road safety education compulsory in
schools.
There has been a 20 percent increase on the
UK's roads in fatalities in the under 16s since 2005. This
statistic shows how important it is that road safety becomes a
part of the school curriculum. The DIA claim that not enough
money or effort is being used in teaching youngster how to stay
safe and
be seen on and around roads.
At present it is down to the schools and
local councils to provide its own road safety scheme for
children, it is not a mandatory requirement.
The
Department for Transport in association with the
Scottish Executive had
gained some success with their
Kerbcraft project, but
funding has now been withdrawn. The DIA also said that children
should be taught road safety from the age of 5, adding that some
of the income from speeding fines should be invested in road
safety education programs in schools.
Eddie Barnaville chief executive of the DIA
said "The balance of targeting drivers and educating children in
road safety needs to be realigned.
The government must act fast or child road
death figures next year will be even worse." He also made
reference to the governments plans to introduce 20mph speed
limits on roads around schools and in built up areas but
commented that this is aimed solely at drivers, and will not
teach children not to cross roads in unsafe places.
All
road accidents
need to be reduced, not just those resulting in fatalities.
Non-fatal
pedestrian accidents also need reducing, and would also
benefit from road safety education in schools.
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