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'Picture-language' leaflet provides basic advice

Peterborough's road safety team has developed a credit card size 'picture-language' leaflet, which provides basic road safety information for people with limited understanding of written English.

Initially available with captions in Portuguese, Lithuanian and Polish, the leaflet can easily be translated into other languages and will also be useful for English speakers with limited reading ability.

The leaflet uses the universally recognized 'tick' symbol to encourage people to wear seat belts, use child car seats and ensure they have the right paperwork. The cross symbol is used to indicate that drink driving, using a mobile and driving too fast are illegal and dangerous.

Peterborough's road safety manager, Beverley Jones, said: "Our investigations revealed that there is little information on road safety for non-English speaking newcomers to Britain. 

"The leaflet uses visual images rather than text. We have selected three languages that are common among migrant workers in Peterborough but the concept can be adopted for use regionally or nationally. We plan to develop a DVD version and include it in citizenship courses."

The Basics launch caught the imagination of the national media, with the Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and Daily Star all asking for further information about the initiative.

For further information contact Beverley Jones, AAC301@peterborough.gov.uk or Clair George, clair.george@peterborough.gov.uk.