Identifying and evaluating promising road safety education programmes for parents of children under eleven years

Organisation
University College London

Amount awarded
£105,592

Completed
2019

Uploaded to Knowledge Centre
20 October 2021

Summary
In 2019, University College London (UCL) completed a two-year project to explore road safety education programmes for parents of children aged under 11 years.

UCL conducted research to identify effective methods of engaging with parents, especially those from deprived and ethnic minority backgrounds.

To address the key points which came out of the research, UCL created a free online manual for local authorities, schools, children’s centres, road safety partnerships, charities and others looking to engage with parents.

In more detail
Road safety is a vital life skill for children as they are highly vulnerable on the roads. According to the Department for Transport, in 2018 there were 48 children killed and 2,315 children seriously injured in road collisions. 

Additionally, a 2019 survey by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) found that less than half of all primary school children have received road safety education.

UCL conducted research to identify effective methods of engaging with parents, especially those from deprived and ethnic minority backgrounds.

Firstly, research was conducted online with local authorities throughout England to gain insight into current practices into road safety. UCL then evaluated three initiatives providing road safety education to parents and children.

The research concluded that road safety education involving parents is essential because:
• Children are vulnerable
• Parents have the greatest opportunity to teach children
• Children need consistent teaching of correct road safety messages
• Parents are role models
• Road safety education targeting parents has a positive effect on parent and child knowledge and behaviour

To address the issues identified in the research, UCL created a manual for local authorities, schools, children centres, road safety partnerships and charities looking to engage with parents of children aged under 11 years.

The free electronic manual provides a starting point for developing and adapting road safety education initiatives that engage with parents. It provides advice on, and examples of, how to effectively recruit, engage and support parents’ road safety education for their children. 

It also provides advice and support to help engage parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) who may be especially vulnerable on the roads.

Visit the Road Safety Trust website for more information and/or download the full project report and practitioners’ manual.

https://www.roadsafetytrust.org.uk/funded-projects/16/ucl-road-safety-for-children