That’s the message from the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) at the start of Child Safety Week 2021.

The most recent casualty stats show that in 2019, 126 children aged 0-16 were killed or seriously injured on South Yorkshire roads.

Nationally, around 2,300 children under 16 are killed or seriously injured on UK roads every year, with a peak in accidents among 12-year-olds.

These are just some of the facts that the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) will be sharing as part of their week-long campaign that kicks-off on Monday 7 June.

And SYSRP will support the campaign by urging parents, carers and all road users across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield to help spread the word.

Joanne Wehrle, manager of SYSRP, said: “Children will learn about road safety from a very early age, with their child-minder, at nursery or at school. However, road safety lessons should start at home with parents and carers setting good example and showing their children how to behave on and near roads.

“Children learn from what you do, so make sure you are teaching them good habits.

“Sharing safety knowledge saves lives which is why we are proud to support CAPT’s week of action with an emphasis on ‘share because you care’.

“We want as many people as possible across South Yorkshire to share our messages whether it’s a conversation on the school run, via social media or talking to children around the dinner table.”

Throughout the year, SYSRP works alongside schools and colleges with in-house visits as well as a package of digital resources.

The Partnership provides resources for teachers and delivers a host of sessions in schools, prioritising those age groups most at risk of being involved in a collision.

Our dedicated schools’ officer is currently out and about delivering the ‘transition’ programme which teaches Year 6 pupils to prepare for their new, independent journey when they move on to secondary school.

“We work with all different year groups with content tailored to their age and circumstances,” added Joanne.

“But remember that you are your child’s best teacher so be mindful that they will observe and copy your actions when using the road, whether on foot, by bicycle or by car.

“Use the green cross code yourself when crossing the road. If you are using a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing, wait for the green figure to appear before starting to cross.

“Always wear your seat belt in the car and ensure that little ones are securely fastened in their seats.”

Throughout Child Safety Week, CAPT will share fact sheets, parent packs and posters on social media.
As well as road safety, themes throughout the week will include fire safety, avoiding choking hazards, preventing falls and water safety.

To follow the campaign visit: https://www.capt.org.uk/Pages/Category/child-safety-week or follow #childsafetyweek