Delivering inclusive road safety lessons for children and parents in regional Belarus
Last month, our EASST partners the Belarusian Auto Moto Touring Club (BKA) took their model of inclusive road safety education to the city of Luban. Their programmes bring together disabled and non-disabled children to work and play together while learning about road safety under the principle of inclusion.
Their campaign in Luban took place outside in the city’s main park. Around 50 children of different ages and abilities came together to take part in a variety of outdoor games, drawing and discussion using the EASST Road Safety Education Pack. The activities began with a discussion about how and why roads can be dangerous. This was followed by a series of games including using a “road safety map” whereby the children mimic a real road situation and learn how to behave safely using Stop, Look and Listen.
The training also included training on the importance of visibility by dressing up the BKA mascot BKAshka in bright, high-visibility clothing. The children received reflective accessories to keep and were encouraged to always wear bright clothes when traveling at night.
In addition to teaching the children,, it is vital to include and involve parents in all road safety teaching. Children will be influenced by the behaviour of their parents so the BKA made sure parents and carers were included in the sessions as well as hosting a special training exclusively for parents on the importance of using child restraint systems in their cars. The session focused on how to identify the right type of seat for their child’s size and weight, and how to properly install it in their car. Every parent was able to practice by fastening a doll into a training seat, while 15 families received their own booster seat, donated by the Italian Automobile Club (ACI) as part of the BKA’s child car seat donation programme.
