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Kerbcraft is a practical, kerbside, road safety training programme for primary one school children. |
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What's the problem?
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Today's roads can be quite difficult to cope with as an adult - so what must it be like for a 5 year old child?
The answer is simple - young children can't cope, and lack understanding in certain basic road safety skills. That's why around 1,500 child pedestrians are killed or injured each year in Scotland, many of them on local roads near their home. |
Did you know?
Scotland is top of the European League!
Unfortunately it's for child pedestrian casualties. This is a league where we don't what to be top. To make matters worst, North Lanarkshire is even higher that the Scottish average for child pedestrian casualties, and we need to do something about it.
What can we do?
The government has introduced a special scheme called Kerbcraft, aimed at children aged 5 - 6, to improve their pedestrian skills.
Kerbcraft Pedestrian Training involves practical roadside training of 3 basic skills which have shown to improve children's understanding of road situations.
The 3 skills are...
- Choosing Safe Places and Routes.
- Crossing Safely at Parked Cars.
- Crossing Safely at Junctions.
Can you help?
Volunteers are needed to help the children. Anyone who volunteers will be given full support and training at small informal sessions. Please consider volunteering to give children the help that could save lives.
You could do your bit for the community
- Provide a valuable service for the children at your local school.
- Make a real difference to the future safety of local children.
In order to protect children, by law all volunteers must complete a Disclosure Scotland record check before taking part in Kerbcraft Training.
How long will it last?
Each skill takes 4 - 6 weeks to complete. with weekly sessions lasting 1-2 hours.
This training helps children for future independent travel. Young children should always be accompanied by an adult when at the roadside or crossing the road.
Further Information...
The scheme was originally researched in Scotland a few years ago and is now being introduced in many areas throughout the UK.
North Lanarkshire Council is one of the first Councils in Scotland to pilot Kerbcraft with 11 schools in South Wishaw involved in the training programme. The schools scheduled to take part are –
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Berryhill Primary
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St. Ignatius Primary
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Castlehill Primary
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Muirhouse Primary
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Netherton Primary
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St. Matthews Primary
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Overtown Primary
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St. Thomas Primary
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St. Brendan's Primary
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Thornlie Primary
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Wishaw Academy
The project, a key element in the Government's Road Safety Strategy, 'Tomorrow's Roads: Safer for Everyone' supports selected local authorities in providing local training schemes, with priority being given to children in more deprived areas and those with higher accident rates.
The overall aim of the Pilot Network is to demonstrate how effective child pedestrian training schemes may be established and sustained in the longer term. A number of schemes are being launched each year from 2002 to 2004 in a rolling programme.
The child pedestrian training uses the Kerbcraft model developed by Strathclyde University in the light of the successful project at Drumchapel in Glasgow.
On the 4th September 2001, the Scottish Executive announced that as part of the DTLR's national pilot scheme it would grant fund three Scottish local scheme co-ordinator posts to implement the 'Kerbcraft' model for child pedestrian training.
Every local authority in Scotland was invited to bid in the first of three bidding rounds and this council was successful in submitting a winning bid take part in the 3 year pilot programme.
Kerbcraft training is delivered by volunteers who receive basic road safety training before working with the children.
The three core skills of the scheme are:
- Choosing safe places and routes
- Crossing safely at parked cars
- Crossing safely near junctions
The Kerbcraft Co-ordinator is responsible for making all the necessary arrangements with regards to recruitment, placement, training and monitoring of all volunteers and for liaison with all other parties involved.
It is also important that schools fully support the scheme particularly with the recruitment process.
If you would like to become a volunteer for this scheme, or would like to know more about this scheme, please contact North Lanarkshire Council's Kerbcraft Co-ordinator, using the "Contact Us" box at the top right hand side of your screen.
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