Activities for secondary schools

1. Introduce Road Safety Week
   Explain that Road Safety Week is the UK's biggest annual road safety event, and it takes place this week (17-23 November). Explain that you will be talking about people who help us make safer, healthier journeys, and the people who help us after road crashes.
2. Talk about Road Safety Heroes
   Road Safety Heroes are people who help make journeys safer and healthier or help care for someone after a crash. Ask students to share examples of Road Safety Heroes, and discuss why they think they are heroes. You can use the Road Safety Heroes factsheet and the films listed below to support your discussions.
3. Talk about why we need Road Safety Heroes
   It's never a nice fact to hear but every day many people are killed and badly injured in road crashes, including children and young people. Share some of the following statistics if appropriate:

• More than 1.3 million people die on roads every year. [1]
• Road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young people worldwide. [2]
• More than six children are killed or seriously injured on roads every day in the UK. [3]
• Road crashes have a devastating effect on families and communities.
• Good post-crash care is essential to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries.

Explain that road casualties are not just statistics. Behind every number is a family whose lives have been changed forever in an instant.

The good news is that death and serious injury from road collisions and pollution are preventable, if people who design, build and use roads all share responsibility for road safety. People who help us make safe and healthy journeys are also Road Safety Heroes.

Discussing the impact of road crashes

Ask students to consider how road crashes affect people. For example, if someone dies in a road crash, grieving families often have to experience a police investigation, a court case, or claims for financial support for the first time. If someone has suffered life-changing injuries, there may be a long stay in hospital and therapy sessions.

Talk about how road crashes can affect families, friends and wider communities?

Who are our Road Safety Heroes?

Ask pairs or small groups of students to consider the different road safety heroes listed on the factsheet.

You could ask students to watch one of the short videos below, and ask students to discuss how the support of these Road Safety Heroes could change the course of someone's life after a road crash.

Everyone can be a Road Safety Hero

Ask students to discuss how they can be a road safety hero by using roads safely to protect themselves and other people. Are there any behaviours they'd change after today's session?

Remind students that we all share a responsibility to use roads safely, and this includes people who walk and wheel, as well as people who drive. Say that they shouldn’t use their phone when walking near roads/crossing roads and they should cycle safely, using lights when its dark. They can also speak up for road safety and remind others to drive at safe and appropriate speeds, never use their phone while driving and always wear a seat belt.

Warning: Some of these films contain content that some viewers may find distressing. Please make sure films are suitable before showing to your students.