Pupils spread road safety message

Children from Year 6 of Liscard Primary School have been benefiting from Wirral Council’s road safety team’s ‘Arrive Alive’ programme, which helps to prepare pupils for the transition from primary to secondary school.

As well as taking part in the programme, the pupils also gave their support to a more general road safety campaign encouraging young people not to be distracted while going to and from school by things like mobile phones.

More than 80 pupils were photographed with a montage of cards that, put together, spell out the message ‘Look up @ the road #notatyourphone’

Statistics show that young people are twice as likely to injured on the roads after they move up to Year 7, which is largely due to longer journeys – either on foot, by car, on a bike or on public transport – and the greater independence children adopt as they get older.

Cllr Stuart Whittingham, Wirral Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Figures show that there are more serious and fatal injuries to school-age pedestrians in the afternoon and early evening than at any other time of the day.

“The message for all road users, but especially young people, is don’t be distracted by friends or your mobile phones – pay attention to what’s happening around you, especially when crossing roads, which are always busier at that time of day anyway with people going home from school and work.

“That goes for drivers too – be even more aware and more vigilant, especially in September when there will be inexperienced young people travelling to school maybe for the first time on their own.”