Road safety education

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The Safe and Sustainable Travel Team deliver a range of initiatives designed to improve road safety in Barnet. The following initiatives typically take place throughout the year:

  • Theatre-in-Education – road safety themed performances and workshops
  • Practical Scooter safety training delivered in schools
  • The Able to Travel scheme – delivered in partnership with the Transport for London (TfL) and the Met Police, includes a practical road safety element aimed at children and adults with SEND
  • Junior Roadwatch – school children question the driving behaviour of motorists who exceed the speed limit when passing their school
  • School Crossing Patrols (lollipop person) – employed by schools, we provide the training, uniform, risk assessments and conduct regular monitoring
  • A range of physical resources are also used to support schools, including;
    • leaflets
    • booklets and magazines
    • loan of banners to schools to discourage parking on zig zags outside schools
    • school competitions are also run with road safety themed prizes.

Headteachers, residents, parents etc, interested in our initiatives can contact our Road Safety Team directly on: road.safety@barnet.gov.uk.

Young independent travellers

Years 5 and 6

We have collaborated with students from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to develop an online interactive resource suitable for pupils in Years 5 and 6.

Our online resource for primary school children is available to download for free on the London Road Safety Council website.

Children can choose their own destiny in a series of 4 short audio dramas. Key messages covered include:

  • safer crossing
  • distractions
  • visibility
  • car passenger safety

Years 6 and 7

Pupils in Year 6 and 7 are targeted to receive road safety education, usually in the form of engaging theatre-in-education.

It’s a Jungle Out There!

Barnet joined forces with The London Road Safety Council to launch a road safety campaign which was initially aimed at Year 6 children and their parents/carers and teachers.

The campaign particularly focuses on those 11 and 12-year-olds who may be preparing to commute to and from a new school solo for the first ever time.

To watch the ‘It's a Jungle Out There’ videos and to download the free road safety tips and advice guidebook, visit London Road Safety Council.

Look out! Be seen! Be safe!

Barnet have teamed up with the London Road Safety Council to create a road safety campaign aimed at motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

The campaign has six short films testing viewers on their road safety awareness. The films highlight key winter road safety messages and can be viewed here:

Parents and carers

Set a good example at all times

Your child will learn from you. Remember to always hold hands with young children when out on the street, especially when near or when crossing roads.

Practice the route to school with your child

Before your child beings travelling independently to school, practice the route they will take.

Use safer crossings (e.g. zebra crossing) where possible, and highlight dangers such as crossing near bends and crossing in-between parked cars.

Further general guidance can be found in the Rules for pedestrians section of the Highway Code.

Be Bright, Be Seen

Wearing something bright and reflective will help you and your child be seen by drivers.

Driving to school

Whilst we promote sustainable travel methods, we also appreciate that not everyone can walk, scoot or cycle to school.

Children must normally use a child car seat until they are 135cm tall or 12 years of age, whichever comes first. It must be fitted correctly and appropriate for their height and weight.

Guidance on choosing, fitting and using child car seats, can be found on Childcarseats.org.uk.

You can also access the mobile friendly child car seat guide which includes concise information to help you find the right child car seat for your child and car.

Free resources

Educator resources

The Think! website includes resources for all age groups including lesson plans, films, and games.

The Transport for London (TfL) Travel for Life initiative offers a range of free school programmes to support schools with promoting safe and active travel for children of all ages. This includes a TfL Discoverers pack for Early Years and a digital online resource for young drivers.

Visit Brake, the road safety charity for access to free resources. You can also sign up to take part in road safety week and ‘Beep Beep! Day’.

People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

'Able To Travel' is a free travel training scheme run by TfL in partnership with Barnet Council, Metropolitan Police Service and London Sovereign (bus company).

It is aimed at both children and adults with SEND to work towards independence and/or increasing confidence with travelling on public transport. Sessions take place on a bus in Edgware. For more information, please email road.safety@barnet.gov.uk.

Information on travelling to and from places of education, driving with a disability and other useful travel/transport information can be found on our Local Offer website.

ROSPA have created a 5 minute video about car seats for children with additional needs.

Elderly people

For information on how to keep safe as an older driver, pedestrian, cyclist and bus user, visit The Older Persons Guide to Road Safety.

Older Drivers was developed by RoSPA, with funding from the Department for Transport. It offers guidance on being an older driver, including how to cope with the changes and find help, such as medical advice, driving assessments and training and vehicle adaptations.

Driver and rider safety resources

Cyclists

For information on safe cycling in Barnet, visit our Cycling in Barnet webpage.

Drivers

Visit The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website for advice and information on all aspects of driving including drink/drug driving, driver distraction, driver health, driving at night, speeding, road rage, older and younger drivers.

Motorcycle and scooter safety

Visit TfL’s Motorcycling in London for information, advice and free practical training courses.

2 Wheels London provides safety information, advice, and a regular blog, written by motorcycle enthusiasts.

E-scooters

E-scooters are illegal for use on pavement, footpaths, and the public highway.

If you use an e-scooter illegally you could face a fine, get penalty points on your licence and your e-scooter could be impounded. You may be allowed to ride an e-scooter rented as part of a government trial in some areas, however Barnet are not currently taking part in these trials.

Visit RoSPA for a factsheet on e-scooters giving information on the law, rental e-scooters as well as the benefits and disadvantages of e-scooter use. 

More detailed information on the law, how to travel safely, and a list of areas where e-scooters can be rented as part of a government trial can be found on the E-scooter trials: guidance for users page.