Why did the chicken cross the road?
A road safety play started a tour of 30 primary and middle schools across Suffolk during the week commencing 11 November.

‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ tells the story of two children facing the everyday risks and hazards associated with using roads - and how peer pressure can have life-threatening consequences.

The play is aimed at nine to thirteen-year-olds and is performed by the Stopwatch Theatre group. Workshops held after the performance concentrate on attitudes to road safety and explain how one wrong decision can lead to tragic consequences.

Suffolk County Council is sponsoring the tour as part of its continuing road safety education programme in schools, which also sees the Stopwatch Theatre group touring high schools with ‘Drivetime’, a road safety play aimed at future drivers.

"It is one of the county council’s key priorities to reduce accidents," said Peter Monk, a member of the council’s executive committee. "By targeting young people with road safety messages we are hoping to make them realise that roads can be dangerous."

The play will run at the various venues from 11 November until 6 December and will reach an audience of 2,700 children.

For further information about this story please contact Colin Robertson, senior road safety officer, Tel: 01473 583292.