Road Safety Week activities 2014
Schools, kindergartens, companies, community groups and road safety professionals took part in Road Safety Week 2014 by holding awareness-raising events in their community.
If you held an event in Road Safety Week we want to hear from you.
Road Safety Week launches
Brake launched Road Safety Week on Monday 19 May at Kelston Boys High School in Auckland. Representatives from NZTA, NZ Police, ACC, Living Streets, St John, NZ Fire Service, Auckland Transport and our sponsors QBE Insurance all attended. Students from the school tried our driving simulator, thanks to B A Racer simulators, to find out how distractions like taking a phone call or sending a text message can affect your driving.
Catholic Cathedral College hosted a regional launch in Christchurch on Monday 19 May where students demonstrated the effects of distractions using a simulator provided by SimSafe Driver Training.
Hutt Central School in Wellington hosted a regional launch on Monday 19 May. Students worked with the local council to look at the speed of drivers going past the school and learn about road safety and speed. They also ran other road safety activities throughout the week.
Schools and kindy
Akaroa School promoted road safety during health lessons in Road Safety Week, and promoted road safety in emails to parents.
Beachlands School held a "Bring n Bling" your helmet event, where students entered a scooter safety slogan and 'blinged' their helmets with colourful reflective tape. They also rewarded students who wore their helmets, held a design a helmet competition, and conducted a survey by the Travelwise team on how students travel to school.
Bucklands Beach Intermediate School promoted safe travel through presentations, displays and posters. They also made a cartoon advertisement to go in the school newsletter to parents.
At Chaucer School a group of students put together a presentation of road safety activities the students have taken part in so far this year, and presented it to the whole school in assembly during Road Safety Week. There was also an open event for parents and VIPs of the school.
Clinton Primary School had a school-wide focus on getting to school safely, looking at safe travel by bus or car, and safe walking, scootering and cycling to school.
Footsteps Education shared road safety messages with parents and caregivers. These messages focused on young children with bikes and helmets, teaching children to cross the road safely, and teaching them to stay away from the rear of cars where they can't be seen.
Freyberg Community School promoted Road Safety Week on its Facebook page and in the school newsletter. They encouraged students to use safe, sustainable and active travel through assemblies and newsletters and held a Bright Day for Brake.
Gladstone School held a Bright Day and focused the week on cycling skills. The junior and middle school did a walk round the local community and the senior school held a duathlon. The road safety message will continue in school throughout the term.
Hataitai Primary School promoted being safe while you walk to school, and encouraged safe parking practises while dropping off and picking up children.
Henderson Primary School ran their Bike Safe program for senior students. Max the Pukeko also visited and classes designed road safety posters and running awareness-raising activities. There is a slow down message around school all term with Auckland Transport and the community constable.
Hutt Central School held a Bright Day for Brake, a poster competition, and ran scooter safety sessions.
Khandallah School had a school Wheels Day and talk about road safety. The student leaders gave a presentation in assembly and handed out awards to safe students.
Kiwi Kidz focused on educating parents about the use of car seats, and taught the children about pedestrian safety by walking around the local area and talking about the importance of holding hands and crossing the road safely. The activities also involved whanau and there was a road safety display at the centre.
Maeroa Intermediate School planned to carry out cycle and scooter inspections to check they are safe, and check helmets. Students were awarded a Warrant of Fitness for their cycle/scooter.
Manurewa East School had a school-wide class vs class competition to see who can get the most members actively using sustainable travel for the duration of the term. They created trophies which will then be used and awarded throughout the school year.
Mercer School talked about rural road safety and what hazards students need to be aware of.
Methven Primary School had a visit from their Police Education Officer to look at crossing the road safely and good pedestrian behaviour. They also had a Hi Vis Vest Promotion Day, inviting workers in to talk about why they wear hi vis vests.
Molyneux Educare included road safety messages and activities in its Explorers Club.
National Park Play Centre talked about how to walk and ride bikes safely and how to cross the road, particularly as there are no pedestrian crossings.The children went on a walk around the village.
Newtown Community Creche talked about road safety during group time, singing road safety songs, reading books and invited their community constable in to give a talk.
Oxford Play Centre held a fun event for its children to raise awareness of road safety.
Paerata Primary School's Travelwise Guys looked for students being Travelwise and will issue 'Caught being Travelwise' certificates, along with rewards, at the end of term. They showed the Junior School the Booster Seat song with actions. They designed an information sheet for all new students and parents with the school road safety and travel expectations to keep students safe.
Prodigy Learning Centre organised a Wheels Day where the children bring their bikes and scooters to school. There was a course around the playground with Stop signs, Give Way and other hazards for practical experience. They also learnt about the correct use of helmets.
Putaruru Primary School ran a bike safety and Bike Wise program in school. Children learnt to use the school's bikes and helmets, and the new bike track on the school grounds.
Rotorua Boys High School held a whole school assembly for students about safety on and around roads, focusing on their own safety and that of others, and the consequences of their actions.
Rowandale School's Giant Walking School Bus walked near the school wearing slow down signs for cars and hi-vis clothing to be seen. They also held a Wheels Day, had a talk from Police about road safety, sang safety songs, made traffic light biscuits, created a road safety display and included road safety in lessons.
Russley Playcentre talked to the children about basic road safety messages, gave information to parents and siblings, displayed posters, made road signs and had a visit from the community constable. They also went on a walk to point out hazards.
Sanson Playcentre organised a march through the centre of Sanson wearing bright colours and carrying posters promoting road safety.
Sherwood Primary School focused on urging parents to use the pedestrian crossing with their children.
St Heliers School students have created a colouring-in competition to design a poster advertising Happy to Travelwise. Winning posters will be used in the video the school is creating for a Travelwise celebration.
Tararua Educare included road safety in their lessons, creating signs to raise awareness with drivers, and writing letters to post through local letterboxes to discourage local residents from speeding past the centre.
Taupo Nui-A-Tia College runs a driving course with Year 12 students and is part of Driver Directions, held at the end of each term.
Te Aro School focused on crossing roads using the appropriate crossings, being aware of drive ways, and safe scooter/skateboard practices. They ran safe scooter and skateboard workshops. They also contacted the local Council about the crossings close to the school to campaign for the crossings to give a longer time for pedestrians to cross the road.
Te Kura o Matapihi created a jingle with their local Maori radio station.
Te Kura o te Whakarewarewa is located on the bend of an extremely busy road. They organised a petition to take to the Council calling for a barriered standing place in the middle of the crossing outside the school gate to help make crossing the road safer.
Tiritea School focused on safety in the school car park, using posters, movies, PowerPoints and speaking in assembly to remind the students and parents about safety in the car park. They also included it in the school newsletter.
Waiotira School promoted road safety with a rural road focus. They focused on cycling and held a Bike Day, looking at rules (and why we have them), invited a police officer in to talk about safety, and developed a set of school safety rules for using bikes and scooters so that they can have regular Wheels Days in future.
Companies
Coastline Roadmarking sent out communication to all staff on distractions and what measures they can take to avoid distractions whilst driving. Messages were also included in weekly talks and safety briefings.
Inland Revenue's Health & Safety Committee used the week to promote road safety awareness with staff through posters, email, information on the website and a road safety quiz.
Waimea Contract Carriers held BBQ's at their Nelson and Blenheim sites to remind their drivers of key road safety messages and fundraise for Brake.
Community groups and road safety professionals
Auckland Transport hosted a number of events during Road Safety Week. Find out more. They also communicated key road safety messages to students on walking school buses.
NZ Horse Network launched a new online form for horse riders to report motorists with poor driving habits, to create a database of incidents that haven't involved Police.
Rural Women New Zealand used Road Safety Week to raise awareness of its 'Either Way It's 20k' campaign and trial of active 20k signs on school buses.