ChildSafe SA WATCH Project Engages Over 8500 Learners in Road Safety Education in Mamelodi
The ChildSafe South Africa WATCH project, in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Community Safety and Tshwane Metro Police Department, has successfully commenced road safety education sessions for more than 8,500 primary school learners in Mamelodi. These sessions aim to create a safer environment for children by teaching them about road signs, general rules on where to walk, and how to cross the road safely.
Education sessions will run every Monday until March 17th, visiting two schools each week. During these visits, learners are equipped with essential road safety knowledge, ensuring they understand the importance of adhering to road safety guidelines.
In addition to educating learners, the project has also empowered 130 educators by providing them with the ChildSafe South Africa pioneered road safety toolkit. This toolkit includes miniature signs for educators, Walking Smart learner workbooks, and safety posters, all designed to enhance the road safety education experience.
The WATCH project aims to address the alarming rate of road crashes and fatalities by focusing on speed reduction around schools and advocating for a 30 km/h speed limit in these areas. By raising awareness and educating both children and adults, the project strives to foster a lasting positive impact on road safety culture, particularly within school zones.
The ChildSafe SA WATCH project has a broader mission that includes:
- Speed Reduction Advocacy: Advocating for a 30 km/h speed limit around schools to create safer environments for children.
- Education and Outreach: Implementing targeted programs and campaigns to foster a lasting positive impact on road safety culture, especially within school zones.
- Research Insights: Highlighting studies that reveal the high risk of fatality for pedestrians struck by vehicles traveling at 50-70 km/h, often resulting in serious injuries, including traumatic head injuries.
Excitement builds as the project unfolds over the next two years (April 2024 to June 2026), during which ChildSafe will assess schools using star ratings and provide essential road safety education.
For more information, you can read about the project’s launch and goals here.