Delivering road safety activities and education programs to students is part of a teacher’s role and responsibility. They’re trained professionals who are the most appropriate providers of health and safety education programs in schools.
We fund Road Safety Education Specialists (RSES) and contribute funding for Road Safety Officers (RSOs). They're encouraged to work collaboratively provide support to schools to assist in resolving issues and promoting positive road safety behaviours through curriculum (RSES) and engaging the community (RSOs).
RSOs play a valuable role in building relationships with RSES, school principals, parents and caretakers and Parents and Friends Associations to help promote positive road behaviours within the school community.
We place a strong focus on improving school zone safety and visibility. It’s paramount to provide a safe road environment around schools for students. School zones, children’s crossings and other school safety treatments aim to protect children on their journey to and from schools at the times and places where they’re most often found in greater numbers.
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Road safety initiatives and programs around schools are managed by us, local councils, school communities and community members. Road rules enforcement is managed by police and council rangers who have specific aspects that they can enforce.
Local councils engage with parents and carers to promote safe ways to drop off and pick up children to reduce dangers around traffic and keep children safe around schools.
State and local government agencies both have roles in managing roads around schools.
Road Safety Officers can support their council by identifying infrastructure needs on local and regional roads around schools and help apply for grants and funding relating to these needs.
Walking school bus
Encourage schools to set up a walking school bus. Local councils get involved by helping schools plan walking bus routes to provide maximum safety benefits for students and volunteers.
Examples:
More information on what to consider when setting up a walking school bus can be found on the NSW Department of Education website.
Improving parking around schools
Northern Beaches Council created a School Safe Parking video asking parents to park a street away from the school and walk.
School Zone Safety Tips
Penrith City Council created a School Zone Safety Tips factsheet for the community on school zone safety tips.
NSW Road Safety Education Program
The NSW Road Safety Education Program is our leading model of support for educating children and young people about road safety. The program provides classroom resources and professional development to teachers and early childhood educators throughout NSW.
We fully fund the program and have a strategic, enduring partnership with the NSW Department of Education, Catholic Schools NSW, Association of Independent Schools of NSW and Kids and Traffic, based at Macquarie University. This partnership ensures that developmentally appropriate road safety education is included as part of school and early learning services’ teaching programs.
NSW is the only state in Australia that has a comprehensive road safety partnership with the state’s education sectors. The partnership includes a dedicated team of Road Safety Education Specialists (trained teachers) to support schools and teachers with advice and professional development about the teaching of road safety as part of the NSW curriculum.
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- Provide professional development to schools and early learning services.
- Provide developmentally appropriate, curriculum and evidence informed road safety education in NSW early childhood services and schools.
- Support consistent use of our approved key road safety messages for children, and for adults to use with children.
- Build the capacity of teachers and early childhood educators to develop localised road safety teaching and learning materials.
- Assist schools and early learning services to develop localised resources that promote a culture of safe road use by children, young people and families.
- Use and promote NSW Government resources including Safety Town and On the Move.
