Educating children on road safety
MANILA, Philippines - Underscoring its commitment to promoting and maintaining road safety, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation has partnered with the government, non-government and private organizations to raise road safety awareness and inculcate in young children proper road etiquette and behavior through the use of flashcards.
Pilipinas Shell, under the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership, Inc., collaborated with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Education, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Automobile Association of the Philippines, Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association, Sunshine TV and Safe Kids Philippines to facilitate the sustainable reduction of road traffic casualties, particularly those involving children.
Data given during the launch points to road traffic injury as the second most common type of accident among children ages 5 to 12, with 263 children falling victim to road crashes every day.
Through the Flash Cards Pilot Project, it is hoped that children will imbibe an accident-free culture and have a greater understanding of the importance of road safety by educating them on traffic rules and regulations.
DOTC Assistant Secretary Dante Lantin expressed high hopes for the program, which will be part of the instructional materials for fifth-grade students in public schools. He added that fifth grade was chosen because it is at these ages where “they are left to walk to and from school by themselves.” Children at this stage can also gauge when it is safe to cross based on the vehicle’s speed and traffic gaps.
The colorful flashcards portray different road scenarios, from vehicle sounds, roads and traffic signs and behaviors in walking and crossing streets to boarding and riding vehicles. To be used as teaching aids, the 10 handy cards will be part of the instructional materials for fifth-grade students in public schools. Ten schools were initially picked for the pilot test, which will run for six months. These include Bacood Elementary School, Bagong Barangay Elementary School, Bagong Diwa Elementary School, Beata Elementary School, F. Amorsolo Elementary School, Geronimo Santiago Elementary School, J. Zamora Elementary School, Pio del Pilar Elementary School, Sta. Ana Elementary School, and Tomas Earnshaw Elementary School.
Lantin said the project will be rolled out nationwide. Evaluations will be done after the pilot test to see its effectiveness before and after improvements have been added.
In line with its endeavor to be a good neighbor, Pilipinas Shell gives utmost importance to safety and is constantly seeking new ways to deliver effective responses to road safety in the country. Its Road Safety for Children campaign has been running for more than a decade now.
