Departments

The Community Safety Branch

THE community safety branch (CSB) has several sections and Road Safety is one of these.

Road Safety

The Road safety section is split into 4 further areas, Child Seat Information, Drink Drive, Kerbcraft and Speed.

Kerbcraft

Kerbcraft is a pedestrian training scheme that originated from Scotland. Practical pedestrian training is acknowledged as the best form of training for children. The first pilot scheme was launched at St Martins School in 2006 to year three pupils. The initial evaluation is very promising and if it is as successful as hoped this scheme will be offered to other schools.

Parent volunteers at the school are sought by the Road Safety Officer. Full training and backup materials are then provided to the parents. Children then under-go a twelve week training programme where parents take the children out to selected points to learn all about road craft.

A brief out line of the course is given below.

Kerbcraft is run by parent volunteers.
The scheme is focused at year three pupils.
Each child receives up to twelve sessions of practical training in how to cross the road safely.
Each session should last no more than twenty minutes, from leaving class to being back in their seat in class.
Children are trained in pairs.
All volunteers are police checked.
Four areas of road safety training are undertaken;

Finding a safe place to cross
How and when to cross the road safely
Strategies for crossing at complex junctions
Crossing between parked cars safely – if there is no alternative

Full training, safety equipment and supervision is provided for all volunteers.
Each training area is risk assessed by the Road Safety Officer.
On successful completion of the course each child will receive a certificate of achievement.