Road safety team and camera partnership join forces to show children the dangers of speeding

Kent County Council's road safety team and the region’s safety camera partnership joined forces recently to teach children at St Botolph's School, Gravesham, the dangers of speeding.

Pupils used a mobile safety camera to record speeds of passing vehicles on the road outside their school and analysed the data to see how many motorists were over the speed limit. The event was supported by the Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership.

The education day - which also included a video about speeding and designing a poster urging motorists to slow down - highlighted that summer months always see a rise in child casualties as children are outside more due to lighter evenings and better weather.

Chairman of Kent County Council’s Highways Advisory Board, Graham Gibbens, said: "Children are particularly vulnerable so it is extremely important to teach them the dangers of speeding. The pupils had an enjoyable day but at the same time learnt crucial road safety facts."

Communications manager for the Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership, Lorraine Collins, added: "We are delighted to be working with Kent County Council's road safety team to help raise children's awareness of the dangers of inappropriate and excessive speed. We want to send out the message that road safety is an important issue that affects everyone. Safety cameras are an important tool for encouraging drivers to be more speed sensitive but education is just as vital in helping to change driver behaviour in order to reduce road casualties."