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PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Nationally, children between the ages of 5 and 9 are at greatest
risk for traffic crash-related injuries and death, and nearly 25 percent
of children in this age group killed in traffic crashes are pedestrians.
This is due in part to the fact that children are impulsive, have difficulty
judging vehicle speed, spatial relations and distance. The problem is
exacerbated because parents often over estimate their children's ability
to walk safely.
In Schenectady County, New York, traffic safety professionals had
particular concerns about pedestrian safety for students of a local
elementary school, because a child had been killed during 1999, while
walking home from school. In previous years, several other children
had also been hit by vehicles, while traveling to and from school.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to reduce pedestrian crashes among elementary school
students in Schenectady County, the Schenectady County Traffic Safety
Board created Children Celebrate Safety in October 2000. Specific
objectives of the program are to:
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Teach children ages 5 to 9 the proper skills to handle traffic
safely
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Provide age-appropriate pedestrian education to all students in
the school
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Develop a model school pedestrian program for use in all county
elementary schools
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Schenectady County Traffic Safety Board developed Children
Celebrate Safety in partnership with the Capital Region SAFE KIDS
Coalition, the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Healthy Heart
Program and the Schenectady Police Department. The program was developed
to coincide with the National Walk Our Children to School Week.
At the beginning of the 2000-20001 school year, representatives from
each of the partner organizations held several meetings with the school
principal. An on-site evaluation was conducted of the streets and crosswalks
surrounding the school, as well as local bus drop off sites. Data from
this evaluation was used to provide focus for educational activities.
To ensure that the activities were geared toward appropriate student
age levels, three individual program tracts were developed, targeting
kindergarten to first grade (K-1), second and third grades (2-3), and
fourth and fifth grades (4-5). Teachers reviewed all planned activities,
and were trained to assist with program implementation, along with parent
and YWCA volunteers. The school's principal agreed to dedicate one half
of a school day to the program, and promoted the event through mailings
to parents and at Parent's Night. Specific activities included in the
Children Celebrate Safety event include:
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Grades K-1— Classroom presentation by a DARE officer
on the risks associated with walking; pedestrian safety program
featuring Willie Whistle introducing a STOP and LOOK video
presentation; and a class walk around the school to practice crossing
at intersections
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Grades 2-3— Interactive safety stations were set up
on the streets surrounding the school, allowing students to practice
pedestrian skills. Several city blocks were closed to traffic and
manned by police officers, to ensure student safety. Stations included
boarding and exiting the bus; crossing at an intersection; walking
to a bus stop, or to school; vehicle passenger safety, including
properly buckling seat belts, proper seating locations, and proper
exit procedures; and fun with Vince and Larry®, NHTSA's famous
crash dummies
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Grades 4-5—Presentation by a local pediatrician on
brain injuries and the importance of helmet use; discussion of risky
behavior by a DARE officer; and a class walk around the school to
observe the interactive safety stations, and discuss traffic safety
strategies
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