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Evaluation of Promising Road Safety Education Initiatives for Parents of Children under 11 Years Old
Despite being important role models for their children, there are few road safety education initiatives involving parents. This project has sought to evaluate initiatives for parents of under 11s.
31 July 2019
Contact
Dates
- 2017 - 2019.
Funding
- This project was funded by the Road Safety Trust.
People
Aims
- To identify and evaluate effective road safety education initiatives for parents of children under 11 years old, especially those residing in deprived areas.
Why undertake this research?
Children represent a vulnerable group on the roads, especially as young pedestrians. Although parents are important role models for children’s road safety, there are relatively few road safety education initiatives that involve parents.
Professor Nicola Christie partnered with the Child Accident Prevention Trust to lead a project identifying and evaluating effective road safety education initiatives for parents of children under 11 years old. Dr Sarah O’Toole was appointed to lead the fieldwork.
Links
- UCL CTS Road Safety Research Briefing 1: Children and Traffic: Those in deprived areas still at disproportionate risk.
- UCL CTS Road Safety Research Briefing 2: Children and Traffic: Initiatives supporting vulnerable parents to educate their children about road safety are needed.
Methodology
An online survey of road safety education initiatives across the UK revealed that there are limited initiatives targeting parents. Three initiatives were identified and evaluated in this project.
- Initiative one was a four day road safety and independent travel course that targeted children with Special Educational Needs and their parents.
- Initiative two was a 1 hour session with road safety walk for 4-5 year-olds and their parents.
- Initiative three was a 1.5 hour parent and toddler session themed around road safety. Interviews were carried out with managers, practitioners and parents/caregivers who attended in order to identify key themes in relation to engaging parents in road safety education.
The findings from these interviews are currently being analysed.