Road Safety Week 2014 (17-23 November), the UK’s biggest road safety event, involves thousands of schools each year. The charity Brake, which coordinates the event, is encouraging educators to go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk to get ideas on teaching and promoting road safety during the Week, and register for a free e-action pack.
Road Safety Week, now in its 18th year and supported by headline sponsors RSA and Specsavers, is a great opportunity for teachers, youth workers, and early-learning educators to engage pupils of all ages in life-saving lessons and encourage safer, more responsible road use throughout the community.
Educators can access free electronic resources and guidance to help them get involved. Go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/educators for ideas and to register to get a free e-action pack (emailed out from September). This includes downloadable posters to display during the Week and advice and case studies of what other schools have done in previous years.
The Road Safety Week 2014 theme is ‘look out for each other’: raising awareness of the ways everyone can help protect one another on roads, especially the most vulnerable. Brake will particularly call on drivers to protect kids and adults on foot and bike by slowing down to 20mph in communities and looking twice and taking it slow at junctions and bends. Educators can run their initiative on this theme or any other road safety topic.
Road crashes are the biggest cause of death among young people, so raising awareness of road safety is vital. It’s an engaging topic, with plenty of scope for creative and interactive learning, while also meeting curriculum goals. Road Safety Week is also an opportunity for schools wanting to campaign for safer roads in their area to promote action to protect local children and families.

Julie Townsend, Brake deputy chief executive, says:“Road safety is a critical issue for schools, and educators can be pivotal in helping reduce the risks children and young people face – by teaching road safety, raising awareness locally and campaigning for safer streets. Our 2014 theme is ‘look out for each other’, so educators can join our calls for everyone to be considerate on roads, and help get the message to drivers about protecting kids on foot and bike.
“There are endless options for getting involved, whether it’s teaching children about being bright and seen, educating teenagers about not taking risks as passengers, encouraging families to walk not drive, or campaigning for drivers to slow down. Log onto the Road Safety Week website for ideas and examples, and to register for a free e-action pack to help you take part.”
Register at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/educatorsto get a free e-action pack. 
Plus, stay in touch by following @BrakeCharity and tweet about the Week using #roadsafetyweek
