Back to school road safety

With schools set to open next week, the Road Safety Authority and ESB Networks have urged parents, guardians and teachers to make road safety a priority for children.

Three children aged 14 and under have died in the first eight months of the year on Irish roads. In 2014, 13 children lost their lives, so while the number of child casualties so far this year has reduced significantly, one young life lost is too many. Of the children who died on our roads this year, two were pedestrians, and one was a car passenger. Between 2010 -2014, there have been 36 fatalities of children aged 14 years and under.

RSA and ESB Networks have teamed up to distribute 85,500 high visibility vests free to every child starting school this year. Schools can now register online for the RSA’s ‘Back to School’ road safety packs which will be sent to primary schools nationwide over the coming months.

As part of their ongoing safety programme, ESB Networks will engage children in road and electrical safety through creating lesson plans and interactive games and competitions to be included on the Curriculum for Junior Schools.

This year, the RSA is encouraging parents to exercise caution when dropping their children off at the school gateway, which is a high risk area for children.

To register online for high vis packs, or for further road safety information for parents, teachers and students, visit www.rsa.ie/backtoschool.