H.-40.

CHILD EDUCATION AND PROPAGANDA. General. 1. Measures taken to promote road safety for all classes of road-users will make for safer road conditions for children, and special measures for children will be complementary to and largely dependent upon the action taken with regard to road-users in general. It is clearly desirable that some special attention should be paid to the education and training of children, not only because their own immediate welfare is concerned, but also because they will later have to assume the responsibilities which devolve upon the adult road-user. 2. In the very early years of the child's life the responsibility for the training of the child must necessarily rest with the parent. In order that all parents may realize their obligations, we suggest the issue and distribution of a " Road Safety Code for Parents" somewhat on the lines of the code (Appendix A) recommended by the Inter-departmental Committee (England and Wales) on Road Safety among School-children. 3. In the Highway Code, and in the course of any general publicity, it should be impressed upon motor-vehicle drivers that children cannot be expected to show the judgment and caution possessed by adults. Drivers of motor-vehicles should be discouraged' from parking their vehicles immediately near school-exits. Instruction in Schools. 4. Road-safety instruction should form part of the training given at Teachers' Training Colleges. 5. Each teacher should be supplied with a copy of the Highway Code and with other material, in the form of literature, drawings, or posters, for use when giving talks to pupils. 6. As a step in the direction of introducing road-safety training into schools, the Education Department arranged for the inclusion of an article in the September issue of the Education Gazette (Appendix B), and portion of it is quoted here "... All teachers, whether head teachers or assistants, are enjoined to co-operate in this humanitarian work and to regard this aspect of education as of paramount importance. Time spent in all other forms of education is practically useless if the pupil is subsequently killed or crippled. " The Department hopes from time to time to issue more particular advice, but meantime feels that teachers will day by day or week by week mention certain aspects of the problem to their classes. The following are some points that may be noted : — 'It is proposed to issue a highway code shortly, and when this is done further attention will be drawn to the matter." 7. In addition to special talks by teachers, there are various ways by which road-safety education and training can be introduced into the school. 8. Essays on road-safety topic. These should not be of the competitive type, but should involve, in the ease of senior pupils, some measure of independent research. 9. Drawing and handwork, by means of which a knowledge of traffic signs can be imparted. 10. Playground games and demonstrations. 11. Gramophone recordings and special talks may be included in the educational programmes which are broadcast weekly from the main national stations. (Some eight hundred schools are equipped with radio sets.) 12. Upon the dismissal of the school at midday and in the afternoon, teachers could with advantage make some short reference to those rules of the road with which children are especially concerned, and the need for observance of them. 13. When children are taken to sports-grounds or swimming-baths, or upon educational visits, the opportunity should be taken by teachers to give training under actual traffic conditions. 14. The efforts of teachers would be furthered if arrangements could be made for addresses to be given by uniformed Traffic Inspectors. 15. Publishers of school stationery would doubtless be prepared to have suitable designs, accompanied by appropriate slogans, on the covers of school' exercise-books. Suitable drawings or blocks, together with descriptive matter, could perhaps be supplied to firms prepared to co-operate in this manner. 16. The Boy Scouts' Association has offered to assist in any way possible. We suggest that the organization be invited to include the Highway Code and allied subjects in the training of Boy Scouts. Bicycles, etc. • 17. Cyclists : If a code of rules for cyclists is prepared, as we think should be done, a copy should be placed in the possession of every cyclist, and children should be instructed to bring the code to the notice of their parents. A printed set of rules and hints for pupils, with a section for parents, on the lines shown in Appendix C, is suggested. 18. (a) The carrying of large parcels on bicycles should be prohibited. (b) The use of scooters or skates on the footpath or highway should be discouraged or prohibited. The use of trollies for any purpose other than carrying goods should be forbidden. t

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