Children

Children are one of our most precious assets– they are also one of our most vulnerable groups when it comes to road safety. Because of their age, young children in particular do not have the physical development or experience to cope naturally with current traffic conditions. Government target for children – 50% reduction in Killed and Seriously Injured (KSI).

Charts 2 and 4 show that we are making good progress towards achieving our targets for children. Some of our ongoing work, as highlighted below, is already proving effective in reducing child casualties while some of the newer initiatives will begin to show through inthe statistics in the next few years.

Chart 4

Ongoing work includes the Safer Routes to School programme which involves partnership working with schools, parents, NHS Grampian and the Police and, most importantly, with children themselves.

New initiatives include:

• School Travel Plans – started in 2004 with the appointment of a dedicated Officer to assist all schools to be actively developing travel plans by 2008.
• 20 mph speed limits outside schools – programme of implementation already started and planned for completion at all schools in Aberdeenshire by April 2007.
• 20 mph zones - are being introduced on an annual basis and all new housing developments are now being designed and constructed to 20 mph.
• Home Zones - are being promoted with schemes at Oldmeldrum and Portsoy planned to be in place by spring of 2006.

While these initiatives will help to improve safety of the road environment, education and the continuing work of Road Safety Officers is vital for the safety of our children. Aberdeenshire Council will continue to support the work of Road Safety Officers and Grampian Police in their efforts to reduce speeding and improve compliance with seat-belt legislation.

We will also continue to support Road Safety Scotland, in particular in their work on the Children’s Traffic Club in Scotland and the support materials which they research and produce for Teachers and Road Safety Officers. We will continue to work with Grampian Health Board in expanding the Health Promoting School concept, developing School Travel Plans and the Safer Routes to School programme.