Children at the Forefront of Road Safety Unit Campaign

The Road Safety Education in Schools Programme aims to promote and foster safe use of Jamaica’s roadways by the nation’s children.

Undertaken by the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, the programme targets youngsters at the primary and secondary levels.

In 2021, some 24 children were lost through accidents on the roads, and one of the objectives for 2022 is reducing the number of child fatalities for the year.

So far this year, 17 children have died, of whom seven were pedestrians and five, private motor vehicle passengers.

“We have to target our children because they are also road users. We have them as pedestrians, pedal cyclists, passengers in public passenger vehicles and in private motor vehicles. So, we have to educate them on proper road use,” Education and Information Officer, Road Safety Unit, Dontae Matthews, tells JIS News.

 

He informs that promoting road safety in schools is a significant undertaking for the Unit.

“We teach them what is called the kerb drill, or the hand in the air drill, which is teaching them how to cross the road, using their hands. So, they approach the pedestrian crossing, look right, then left, then right again, put their hand up, and what that does is help them to be noticeable to motorists or elevate them, as they are small children,” he adds.

Mr. Matthews explains that several approaches are used to spread the important message to the target audiences.

“We have to use a different approach when dealing with teenagers. If you’re talking to grades 10 or 11 students, these are the students who are going to learn to drive. So, we have to get graphic with them and show them some of the injuries that persons can get when they don’t wear protective devices, and when they don’t wear seatbelts,” the Education Officer says.

“We also take what we call a drunk buster [goggles], where we show the 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds what it feels like to be drunk. They walk on the mat, and then when they take it off, you hear them say ‘oh Lord, I’m not going to [drive and] drink as this does not feel good’. So, that is something to deter them from drinking and driving,” Mr. Matthews points out.

The Road Safety Unit generally schedules at least 30 school visits per quarter, based on analysis.

However, in addition to this number, the Unit receives calls to visit other schools to participate in varying events, which usually increases the figure.

The Unit also works with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) in relation to the ‘Safe Passage (Safe Routes to School) Road Safety Clubs’ initiative, which was launched in March.

It is a component of the Integrated Community Development Project II (ICDP II) ‘Safe Passages’ Project, which aims to provide a safe environment for students as they traverse specific roadways and thoroughfares in the vicinity of selected school campuses.

The participating schools are Treadlight Primary in Clarendon; Hope Valley Experimental, August Town Primary, and Greenwich All-Age in Kingston and St. Andrew; and Bickersteth Primary and Infant, Roehampton Primary, and Salt Spring Primary in St. James.

“We are a part of that programme where we give them information and provide support in terms of developing these clubs in schools, ensuring that the clubs are maintained, [by] providing them with road safety literature and any support possible, to ensure that these clubs are activated and are up and running,” Mr. Matthews informs.

 

Meanwhile, the Education Officer encourages parents to ensure their children understand how to use the roadways properly.

“Teach them to put their hand up and not run across the road. A lot of students like to play ‘last lick’ and run across the road… they are playing; but that playing can also lead to a collision. So, you want to ensure that parents understand how to teach their children to cross the road,” he says.

Mr. Matthews also encourages parents to teach their children to walk in a single file and ensure that they are facing oncoming traffic.

This is to enable them to see if a vehicle is getting out of control and take the necessary actions.

On the matter of designated drivers, parents should make sure that the driver is known to them and that they understand how the person operates on the road.

“We have a lot of reckless drivers… they pack up the children in the back of vehicles. So, when the back seat is full, you find that they are going into the trunk of vehicles. On bikes, in western Jamaica, you find… four people on a bike when it should be two, the motorcyclist and the pillion passenger; so that’s a big issue,” Mr. Matthews says.

He points out that persons on bikes are supposed to wear approved helmets, which should have a hard outer shell, protective padding, and a retention system (chin strap).

Other highly recommended protective gears include a vest, gloves, knee pads, long pants, and boots.

Regarding public passenger vehicles, students are encouraged to take units that have a red plate, with the drivers’ identification card displayed and the Transport Authority sticker visible.

“If the car is full, they should not go into that vehicle. If it’s a regular five-seater, the three on the back must be belted. Children under 12 should be seated in the back with seat belts or in child seats or booster seats, where possible,” Mr. Matthews says.

This safety measure, he advises, is “not just [for] public passenger vehicles (PPVs), but also private motor vehicle drivers.”

“So, parents, if you are carrying a child in the back, ensure that they are properly dealt with,” Mr. Matthews further urges.

Meanwhile, drivers are encouraged to cut their speed, especially if they are driving within a school zone, and stop at pedestrian crossings.

“Also, be a good example and don’t run the red light, because the children know what the colours in the traffic light mean,” he adds.

So far, the Road Safety Unit has visited schools in Trelawny, among them Bounty Hall Primary, Duncans All-Age, Refuge Primary, Hampden Primary, Brampton Primary, and First Hill All-Age.

In October, the Unit will be targetting schools in Clarendon, then in November, they will be going to Manchester and, in December, St Catherine.