Painful experience: Lollipop lady Sonia Hartley knows the importance of this summer’s road safety campaign. As a child she was nearly killed when hit by a car on National Avenue. Now she helps protect kids on the same road.
The number of children seriously injured in traffic accidents on Hull roads will increase by 25 per cent over the summer holidays, say road safety officers. That’s why they’ve launched the ‘Safer Summer Campaign 2007’ urging motorists and parents to be extra careful about children playing near roads and parked cars when schools are closed.
“We’re asking motorists to knock off their speed and we’re urging parents to make sure they know where their children are playing,” says Mark Jessop, road safety manager at Hull City Council.
The campaign features posters throughout the city with the slogan ‘Watch out kids about!’
And thousands of primary school children have been given a leaflet with safety tips for
their parents.
“Parents need to make sure their children have the skills to cross the road safely, and that might mean taking them outside and practicing. The simple rules are STOP, LOOK, LISTEN and THINK,” adds Mr Jessop.
“We don’t have a massive problem. There are only about 20 children who are seriously injured each year on Hull’s roads, but half of those injuries occur in the school holidays. The consequences can be terrible.”
Meanwhile, Government figures show Hull is one of the most improved areas for road safety
in the country.
The number of children killed or seriously injured on city roads has fallen by half in the last decade.
Much of that is down to traffic calming measures introduced by Hull City Council, including the introduction of speed bumps and 20mph zones around schools.
“We’ve worked very hard with our education programmes,” adds Mr Jessop. “Not one child was killed last year - and that has to be our target every year.”
For more information about road safety and to obtain a leaflet call 300300. Also see ad on page 35.
