Kids Get Wheel With New Road Safety Website
The ‘Your Call’ website, aimed at S1-S3 pupils, offers a range of themed interactive activities relating to risk-taking, decision making, personal safety, pre-driver attitudes and peer pressure in the road environment.
It also features two films based on a pedestrian theme for the younger age group and a passenger theme for the older age group and shows the effect a road accident can have on young lives.
Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, said:
“Road safety has a very important place in learning in schools and Your Call is a valuable resource which will support work already going on in classrooms around Scotland to do that.
“Even before young people get behind the wheel of a car, it is absolutely right that within Curriculum for Excellence, key issues such as decision making and peer pressure are considered. I am pleased to support any work in schools that will help equip tomorrow’s road users with the skills they need to become responsible motorists.”
Michael McDonnell, Director Road Safety Scotland said
“Positive attitudes developed in childhood, through road safety education in school, form the foundation for responsible road use in adult life. That is why the Scottish Government, through Road Safety Scotland, provides resources, such as this website, for specific age groups from 3-18 years.
“This resource is aimed at 11-14 year olds, an age group most vulnerable in the road environment. The new Your Call website has a strong focus on active learning with discussion, debate and opportunities for young people to self-reflect about their behaviour in the road environment, whether travelling on foot, by bike or in cars with friends. Making judgements and taking decisions are an important aspect of road safety education that can lead to a valuable life skill.”
Your Call identifies the issues, style of approach and imagery that students of this age are most likely to identify with and embraces Curriculum for Excellence, providing teachers with flexible lesson plans that support the experiences and outcomes of Health and Wellbeing.
Teachers and students alike can use this interactive education tool in the classroom, with mobile compatibility to allow use via tablet or mobile phone.
Notes to editor
- The original Your Call toolkit was launched in 2009 to all secondary schools in Scotland for use by S1-S3 (11-14 year olds).
- Following a recent evaluation of the Your Call toolkit, a new website has been developed and the two dramas that accompany the resource have also been updated.
- Whitespace Ltd were commissioned to develop and design the website at a cost of £45,415.00.
- Speakeasy were commissioned to produce the two updated dramas at a cost of £19,946.30.
- The resource contains 10 interactive activities focusing on a pedestrian and passenger theme.
- Teacher notes are available for each activity and can be downloaded if required, all linked to Curriculum for Excellence.
- The resource is designed to be flexible allowing teachers to pick and choose the most appropriate content and methodologies to suit their teaching group, tailoring provision to the needs of their school.