Children to be seen as well as heard this winter

Children are being urged to ‘Be Bright, Be Seen’ this winter in a THINK! road safety campaign launched ahead of the clocks going back an hour this Sunday (October 25).

In 2008, 712 children aged six to11 were killed or seriously injured while walking in Great Britain while 155 children of the same age were killed or seriously injured while cycling.

Road Safety Minister, Paul Clark said: "Britain's roads are among the safest in the world and we have reduced the number of children killed while walking or cycling by 54% since the mid-1990s. However, more than 850 child pedestrians and cyclists were killed or seriously injured on our roads last year and we are determined to do more to keep children as safe as possible.

"Our 'Be Bright, Be Seen' television adverts remind children that they should wear reflective clothing if they going out after dark. At the same time, drivers also need to take extra care and look out for children."

The Department for Transport's THINK! road safety campaign will be running its 'Girl who didn't Dress Bright in the Dark' advertisement in cinemas from today. (Friday October 23). It will be aired on television and online from Monday (October 26). 'The Boy Who Didn’t Find a Safe Place to Cross' advert will run online.

Both are part of the ‘Tales of the Road’ child road safety campaign that was launched last year. It is designed to illustrate the different stages of the Green Cross Code: finding a safe place to cross; stop, look and listen, be visible to cars, as well as cycle safety.

The adverts are a bold departure from previous campaigns using lifelike characters to show the consequences of different road safety behaviour. The campaign is aimed at children aged six to 11 and was devised following extensive research with parents and children which showed that children today demand a more forthright approach to road safety messages.

THINK! offers the following tips for parents to help keep children safe and visible on the roads:

Be Bright, Be Seen - Road Safety Advice

Brightly coloured or fluorescent clothing show up well in daylight and at dusk

If you’re out by the roads when it’s dark, wear reflective gear to make sure you can be seen in car headlights. Reflective vests, sashes or wrist bands work well. Remember, fluorescent clothing doesn’t work after dark.

Clip on reflectors, arm bands and stickers on your outfit or school bag will improve your visibility.

It is the law to have clean and working lights on your bike – red at the back and white at the front - you must also fit your bike with red rear reflectors. Fitting spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen in the dark.

‘Being Bright’ isn’t the only way to be safer. If you’re out at night, choose routes and crossing places that are well lit and remember to always use the Green Cross Code – Find the safest place to cross, Stop, Look and Listen.

The ‘Tales of the Road’ website can be found at direct.gov.uk/talesoftheroad.

It has interactive games for children as well as educational material for teachers and parents.