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SAFELY TO SCHOOL: A STUDY OF SAFER ROUTES TO SCHOOL IN THE CLASSROOM

CHAPTER FIVE Road safety education in schools

Introduction

5.1 The implementation of SRTS at school level was explored within six case study schools. These comprised four primary and two secondary schools in various geographical locations. Within each, we:

• Interviewed a teacher responsible for co-ordinating Safer Routes to School, a School Board or parent association representative, and the local road safety officer;
• Conducted two focus groups with pupils (one with P6 pupils and another with P7 pupils in each primary school, and one each with S1 and S2/3 pupils in each secondary school);
• Surveyed a sample of 30-50 parents from each of the six participating schools (the findings from which are reported in Chapter 6); and
• Analysed relevant documents related to the each school's Safer Routes to School/travel to school/road safety measures.

5.2 This chapter draws on the case studies to present a picture of how SRTS is being implemented at school level.

The range of Safer Routes to School work

5.3 The case studies revealed that various SRTS initiatives had been conducted or were underway across the six schools. Overall, primary schools were more active than secondary schools. Although the Safer Routes to School programmes varied in their scope and complexity across the six schools, some similarities emerged. We believe that this results from a common underlying philosophy towards safety (particularly amongst Road Safety Teams), the existence of exemplars and guidance material, and the similarity of factors influencing the capacity of schools to conduct Safer Routes to School work. We now summarise the range of SRTS programmes and related work across the cases study schools.

Pupils' views on SRTS

5.4 Pupils in upper primary and lower secondary school stages expressed very similar views about SRTS initiatives. These are reported below.

Modes of travel to school and risks

5.5 Most of the pupils walked or used the bus to travel to school; travel by car was the next most commonly used mode of transport. Cycling to school was rarely mentioned but was more likely to occur in those schools in which cycle proficiency and cycling initiatives had taken place. In one school travel by train featured. Generally, pupils recognised the benefits of walking and cycling and indicated that they preferred to travel to school by walking. Many thought that cycling was an ideal mode of transport but pointed out that it could be dangerous, and that finding a secure place in school to leave their bike was problematic.

5.6 Across all six schools pupils identified routes or parts of their route to school that they thought were dangerous. These included:

• Busy roads;
• School gates opening on to main roads;
• 'Blind spots';
• Cars accelerating from school gates too quickly;
• Car and bus drivers who ignored speed limits; and
• The poor state of repair of road crossing lights.

5.7 Primary pupils were more likely than secondary pupils to indicate that they would like to cycle to school but that the volume of traffic on certain roads deterred them. Very few secondary pupils cycled to school because:

You would have to cycle by yourself. You couldn't go with your friends.

The bikes would just get stolen.

It's difficult to cycle in a skirt.

5.8 Many pupils highlighted the social aspect of walking to school: '[you can] meet up with your friends' and ' it keeps you fit'. This demonstrates the extent to which social and peer processes influence the way pupils travel to school. However, pupils also identified some negative aspects of walking to and from school. Their main concerns related to personal safety, engineering work and public transport.

Personal safety

5.9 Some were concerned for their personal safety when walking through lanes, meeting strangers, or meeting other young people who may want to fight. As two pupils explained:

Sometimes you are worried about meeting stranger people who might want to fight when you are not walking with your friends… it helps when there are a lot of you.

There are some paths, which need more lights on dark winter nights.

(P7 Pupils at Case Study 5)

Engineering works

5.10 Pupils also criticised road-calming measures and crossing places which most believed did not deter speeding drivers. Many advocated speed cameras, which they believed, would be far more effective.

There are 20 mph road lights and signs that come on in the morning and when its home time but a lot of drivers just ignore these and speed by very quickly…It would make a big difference if there were speed cameras on that long stretch of road. People would take notice of the cameras because they'll get flashed and fined.

(Pupils at Case Study 4)

5.11 Other suggestions for effective engineering work included:

It might be good if there were bigger speed bumps. Usually they are too small and get worn down quickly by all of the trucks and stuff.

More road crossings fences would help to keep people away from dangerous parts of the road spots and make them cross only where it is safer.

(Pupils at Case Study 4)

At crossings there isn't much time before the green man goes off. It seems that it's cars that are more important… Sometimes the crossings don't have a working 'bleeper' that's got to be dangerous for people who are blind.

A lot of drivers don't know how fast they're really going, that's why those solar-powered speed signs that show you how fast you're driving are a good idea.

(P7 Pupils at Case Study 3)

Those parts of the road that are painted red [raised surfaces] are a waste of money because drivers and some children don't understand what these are for...You need to make sure adults and kids know what these are for.

(P7 Pupils at Case Study 3)

Public transport

5.12 Some pupils suggested that bus stops should be relocated closer to their school so that they could avoid crossing a busy road. The frequency of buses was also a cause for concern, as was the increase in bus fares, particularly in families with more than one child.

The school bus stop is not right next to the school and cars speed past it. The school bus doesn't wait long either and if you miss that you've got to cross a busy road to get to the other bus stop.

(P6 Pupils at Case Study 4)

Over the last year there the bus fares have gone up a few times. Not everyone can afford that.

(P7 Pupils at Case Study 4)

Pupils' views on their road safety education

5.13 Pupils acknowledged that it was important to learn about road safety and thought that schools had an important role to play in this. However, most pupils believed that road crossing skills and road safety education topics should be taught in the lower primary school, with cycle proficiency training reserved for P6 and P7 pupils. They identified a number of ways in which road safety was currently taught in schools. These include:

• Puzzles, quizzes, lectures, and word searches, to stimulate learning and recall of factual information;
• Questionnaires, often with self-marking, to help pupils to assess their knowledge of road safety;
• Project work (eg looking at local maps to investigate risk areas and suggest action);
• General input at assemblies;
• Block of classroom work (usually between 2 and 5 one-hour sessions) with content ranging from risk awareness to safe cycling;
• Cycling proficiency training;
• Scottish Cycling Proficiency materials left with teachers to use;
• Events and walk to school days (with associated house points for those who walked to school);
• Leaflets and stickers;
• Various road safety campaigns;
• Police visits and lollipop person lectures; and
• Road Safety Unit input.

5.14 Typically, road safety education in secondary schools was offered in S1 and S2. In one secondary school this focused almost entirely on cycling proficiency and sustainable transport, while in the other pupils could not recall any road safety education. Interestingly, they did remember cycling proficiency testing in P6, road safety plays, and workshops on road safety at external venues. They believed that this was appropriate because 'they [younger children] need it more than we do'. They could also recall a number of road safety advertisements on television, including promotion of safety on trains and warnings of the dangers of speeding for drivers. Overall pupils, particularly those in S1, felt that it was very important to learn about road safety at school, from parents, and from the media.

5.15 Most pupils thought that the content of SRTS education was interesting, appropriate and useful. However, lower secondary and upper primary pupils stressed that a lot of road safety education could be 'patronising' and possibly ineffective, because they are either 'acting automatically' when travelling home, or are aware of the risks but decide to 'chance it'. As one pupil explained:

Everyone knows by P7 what you should do when crossing the road…you know you should stop, look and listen and use the crossing places…not cross between parked cars. The lessons do make you remember all of this but you are often acting automatically when going home and crossing roads…Also, you know the risks but you can decide whether to take a risk to chance it, if it seems worth it.

(P7 Pupils at Case Study 3)

5.16 Pupils held very definite views about effective teaching methods: they were highly critical of didactic approaches that relied on worksheets. Road safety booklets and folders were usually seen as 'boring' and less effective than practical work. Some explained that a booklet they had been given just lay in the bottom of many pupils' school bags. Others criticised guest speakers for being 'too preachy'. Overall, pupils particularly valued:

• Discussion
• Drama / role-play
• Theatre tour visits
• Experiential learning; and
• Project-based work.

5.17 Cycling proficiency training was also appreciated but pupils suggested that 'refresher' or top-up training would further enhance its impact. Pupils who had experienced Walking Buses praised their use with younger primary pupils. As one explained:

I learned that you shouldn't walk on the kerb because it is dangerous.

5.18 Generally, pupils believed that SRTS and road safety education raised their awareness of road safety issues and local danger spots. The 'messages sticks in your mind', was how one pupil put it. However, pupils also highlighted that from P7 onwards they might not always act in accordance with what they had learned and consequently take risks when crossing roads.

5.19 Pupils also raised a number of issues, which they believe influenced the effectiveness of the safety education that they had experienced at school. These included:

Although pupils understood the importance of wearing safety clothes when cycling, P7 pupils boys pointed out that boys of their age felt that wearing so much safety gear made them appear 'soft' or that 'it is too much bother to put on'. They would prefer close fitting, better designed protective clothes ('more cool - like adult cyclists') which they had had an input into designing.

Most boys indicated that boys of their age often did not think that accidents would happen to them, even though they were more likely to take risks when crossing the road.

Pupils believed that it was crucial that engineering and other measures were used to address hazardous routes and change the habits of most drivers. They thought that most car drivers were at best unaware of cyclists and often failed to indicate when they were about to turn.

Pupils wanted more cycle lanes and better driver education to ensure that car drivers observed them. Some also suggested complete separation of cycles from other road traffic.

Generally, the 'red strips' of raised road surface were seen as 'a waste of money' because pupils believed that drivers did not understand their purpose.

Pupils also thought that local examples of 'solar powered speed indicators' were a good idea because these demonstrated to drivers the speed they were travelling. Pupils believed that many drivers under-estimate their speed and, therefore, need to be shown how fast they are actually travelling.

Some pupils believed that more cycle locks were needed because the limited supply meant that pupils had to 'double-up' using one chain for two cycles, which could cause damage.

Pupils views on what else school or others could do to improve Safer Routes to School work

5.20 Pupils identified a number of possible ways in which SRTS could be improved. These were:

• More signs for road users to alert them to the presence of schools
• More cycle chains and secure storage
• More fences to keep vandals out of schools
• More videos; project work should 'be more fun'
• More information on how to deal with strangers
• More engineering work, eg bigger/more effective speed bumps
• More road crossing fences to channel pupils away from danger spots
• More speed cameras and lights to calm traffic
• Reduce or stop parents parking outside schools; and
• Provide education that clearly highlights the consequences of dangerous driving and poor pedestrian skills.

5.21 Pupils could recall a television advertisement which showed the injuries sustained by pedestrians:

There's that advert where they show you what happens when you don't fasten your seatbelt in the rear seat…where the son's head hits his mother's head. That shakes you up…makes you take it in.

(Pupil, Case Study 6)

Teacher perspectives on SRTS work

5.22 Most teachers and headteachers thought that general road safety education was important and relevant for their pupils. However, many teachers stressed that lack of time and other curricular priorities limited the extent to which they could introduce road safety education into the curriculum. As one explained:

A school has so many other things to do, and it takes effort to get [SRTS] projects like this going.

5.23 Despite this limitation, some teachers were promoting road safety; especially those in schools located near busy roads. Teachers' views specifically about SRTS varied: in schools in which headteachers were committed to road safety and wider health issues related to SRTS, we found that teachers were usually more positive and also more likely to be actively pursuing SRTS in the classroom. For example, one primary school (Case Study 2) worked closely with the local Road Safety Unit to implement a cross-curricular SRTS programme that was designed to suit the needs of schools in a rural area. It also featured in the school's development plan. Ongoing monitoring helped the school and the local authority to evaluate the progress of the project. While the commitment of the headteacher and local Road Safety Co-ordinator provided impetus to the project, it was designed and carried forward by committed teachers.

5.24 In another primary school (Case Study 3) parents and the School Safety Team provided the initial impetus for the work, while teachers supported its development by showing how SRTS could be integrated into the curriculum.

5.25 In other schools a range of factors limited the effectiveness of SRTS. For example, in one primary school (Case Study 1) teachers believed that it was largely the responsibility of the local Road Safety Unit to provide road safety education and that road safety within the curriculum could only be 'a passing topic' due to their other commitments. The assistant headteacher in one secondary school (Case Study 5) explained why the school had abandoned actively promoting cycling to school.

Cycling to school may be easier at other schools, where the roads are not so busy and there is a clearer route to school. Pupils come from so many different places and the school is at the edge of the catchment area, making it difficult to create a safe cycling route to school. If we don't feel that cycling to school is safe then we can't promote it.

He thought that alternative projects promoting walking to school and using the train had been successful and were likely to be repeated in the future. However, he pointed out that as timetables for pupils at secondary school were 'stretched', it was difficult to introduce road safety projects on an annual basis:

It's probably easier to do road safety projects at primary school, where the class has one teacher and they can work on a project together. Here we have so many different teachers and topics that it can be more difficult to organise.

5.26 Despite these difficulties, the school still intended to cover road safety with S1 pupils, possibly in the next academic year.

5.27 A primary school headteacher highlighted the importance of being able to draw on support from outwith the school. For example, Road Safety Officers, local Walking Bus Co-ordinators, and School Safety Teams had all helped her get SRTS projects started. As she explained:

Setting up a [SRTS] project like this, you do need a co-ordinator. Someone who is enthusiastic and focused, and that is their job. It's also someone to contact if there is a problem.

5.28 This could be a two-way relationship, as one Road Safety Officer described work with a headteacher:

She really is a road safety 'champion'. She is very motivated and has been a major factor in making this work so far.

Conclusions

5.29 The information gathered from the case study schools illuminates the ways in which schools have introduced Safer Routes to School projects, and the continuing challenges which road safety education faces. We found that:

• Schools have responded in a variety of ways to the challenge of integrating road safety into the school curriculum.
• Teachers report that road safety projects must compete for time in what they perceive to be a crowded curriculum with its own priorities.
• Teachers believe that the pressures of lack of time and parental support affect the efficacy of Safer Routes within the curriculum.
• Pupils report participating in a variety of road safety activities at school. These include: puzzles, questionnaires, project work, input at assemblies, cycling proficiency training, publicity events such as 'Walk to school' days, leaflets, stickers, and police/lollipop person visits.
• Generally pupils thought that the content of road safety education was interesting.
• Secondary school pupils thought that road safety was more relevant to younger pupils because 'they need it more than we do'.
• Most pupils preferred interactive approaches to learning and teaching about road safety, such as discussion, drama, role play, theatre tours, experiential learning and project-based work, and were highly critical of didactic approaches.
• Teachers believe that the key success factors are: committed individuals, accessible and active support services (eg from Road Safety Officers/ Units), and clear local policies.

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