- Since July last year, the City’s Road Safety Education section has hosted 1,363 road safety lectures and conducted over 3,000 scholar patrol visits.
- The program educates young learners on essential road safety topics, including the importance of wearing seatbelts, identifying safe play areas, and proper road-crossing techniques.
- Interactive sessions at facilities like the Hillstar Junior Traffic Training Centre help children understand basic road rules in a practical environment.
With motor vehicle accidents reported as one of the top ranking causes of death among young children, the Traffic Service’s Road Safety Education is teaching learners the basics of road safety.
Since the programme’s inception in July 2024, the Traffic Service’s Road Safety Education hosted 1 363 road safety lectures and conducted more than 3 000 scholar patrol visits.
Last week, for more than 40 Grade 2 learners at Christel House in Ottery, the interactive classes at Hillstar Junior Traffic Training Centre (JTT) was fun and informative.
The centre is set up to help facilitate an understanding of the basic road rules in a “show and tell” environment.
Carol Kriel, junior school principal at Christel House South Africa, says road safety is a crucial aspect of learner education.
“Our Grade 2 learners thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit the traffic department and participate in such an important initiative,” she commented.
The Road Safety Education Unit tackles subjects such as wearing a seatbelt when travelling in a motor vehicle, safe places to play, places not to play such as pavements and streets, how to cross a road safely and where to safely cross a road.
“We believe in teaching our learners the values of good citizenship, and part of that includes instilling in them the responsibility they will carry as adults to ensure their own safety and the safety of others,” said Kriel. “As a non-profit school dedicated to serving learners from vulnerable communities, we recognise that road safety is a crucial aspect of our students’ education.”
According to Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith, who attended the road safety session, it is important to empower children.
“Our road safety record in this country is problematic, and motor vehicle accidents is one of the top ranking causes of death among young children,” he said. “By teaching them critical lifesaving skills of being responsible road users, we empower children to stand up for their rights and safety and that of others.”
The department conducts hundreds of road safety lectures each year to young, enthusiastic audiences.
During visits to the JTTC, learners are encouraged to complete the circuit using scooters and other non-motorised means to help familiarise themselves with road signs, traffic lights and stop streets.
Apart from conducting the road safety lectures and running the JTTC, the Road Safety Education Unit is also responsible for scholar patrols, part-time traffic attendants and facilitating pedestrian awareness campaigns.
Officers attached to the unit visit schools, or engage with learners between foundation phase and primary school level at the Junior Traffic Training Centre (JTTC).
Any schools interested in scheduling a visit to the JTTC can contact the Road Safety Education Unit via email at Traffic.Services@capetown.gov.za
