Brake Kids Walk – June 2023
Posted on Monday 19th June 2023 in All Road Users, Cyclists, Education and Training, Pedestrians
Sussex Safer Roads Partnership took part in Brake’s Kids Walk on Wednesday 14 June, supporting a local school in Shoreham, West Sussex, helping children call for safer roads in their community. This nationwide event is organised by Brake, the road safety charity, to help pupils promote the benefits of walking and learn about road safety. More than 600 schools and 90,000 children are taking part across the country.
Brake’s Kids Walk is run by Brake, the road safety charity, with the help of Aardman’s Shaun the Sheep. The ever-popular character is helping children ask their grown ups to keep them safe near roads and to call for changes to make the roads safer and healthier for children. Children of all ages are at risk of being killed or seriously hurt when walking, cycling or wheeling near roads. Brake, the road charity, supports families affected by road crashes and campaigns for safe and healthy journeys for all.
Brake’s Kids Walk campaign hopes promote the benefits of walking and call for the five things that children need to make safe journeys on foot or by bike: footpaths, cycle paths, safe crossing places, slow traffic and clean traffic.
On average, six children are killed or seriously injured on roads in Britain every day – that’s equivalent to a whole classroom of children every week.
What can you do as a parent/carer?
If possible, please walk with your child/children to school and talk about the things they need to make their journeys safe. If you have to drive, please park in a safe place away from the school entrance and walk as far as you can. You can help your child/children understand that their voice is important and that they can make a difference by asking grown-ups to keep them safe near roads. Say that young children should always walk or ride with a grownup on safe paths away from traffic, and cross roads at safe places. By using roads safely they can help protect themselves and others.
Lucy Straker, Campaigns Manager at Brake, said:
“It’s every child’s right to be able to walk in their community without fear of traffic and pollution. It is vital that children are able to walk safely in the places where they live. This year we hope to inspire as many children, schools and families as possible through our Brake’s Kids Walk event. We’re delighted Sussex Safer Roads Partnership is getting involved and helping children shout out for their right to make safe and healthy journeys, every day.’
Brake is a national road safety charity, founded in 1995, that exists to stop deaths, serious injuries and pollution on roads, and to care for families bereaved and injured in road crashes. Brake has been running walking events for schoolchildren at a national level for more than 15 years. The charity is also behind Road Safety Week – the UK’s biggest road safety campaign each November.
Sussex Safer Roads Partnerships Communication and Programme Support officer were on hand during school drop off, talking to parents, teachers and pupils about the importance of road safety and what they can do to make themselves and others while travelling to and from school. We were able to converse and advise on a range of different concerns including active travel, pedal power and the importance of being bright and being seen in the darker months. We had an array of resources available including stickers and young road users resources, that enabled parents and guardians to continue these vital conversations at home.
