With the new school year underway in Western Australia (WA) parents are being advised to encourage their children to actively get to school and instil good road safety habits from an early age.
These include always wearing a helmet when riding or scooting and practising the “stop, look, listen, think” procedure when crossing the road.
The Department of Transport is also encouraging parents to plan ahead by mapping and trialing safe routes to take to school.
“It’s easy to get to school in a safe and active way, and the benefits for their health, independence and community connections as well as local congestion are really important,” said Michelle Prior, Director Active Transport and Safety, Department of Transport.
Schools can participate in the Department of Transport’s Your Move schools program, which offers online tools, resources, professional learning and tailored advice to help create a supportive, safe and active school community with less traffic and more people walking and cycling.
Participating schools receive points that can be redeemed for a range of prizes, including Connecting Schools grants that improve bike paths near schools, bike skills and end of trip facilities at WA schools.
