A huge thanks to everyone who took part in Road Safety Week this year. Awareness-raising activities and campaigns took place across the country run by schools, colleges, kindys, organisations, local councils and emergency services. Activities in Auckland schools included mufti day and Be Bright competitions, school walks, superhero safety walks, walk to school with a teacher, walking week and wheels days. Campaigns were run educating parents in school newsletters around safe driving/parking/drop offs and creating and displaying posters promoting the “Slow Down” message.

This year we introduced Travelwise Survey Week.

During the week of 24 May, each lead teacher was sent an email containing their school's unique survey link. Please contact your CTC if you did not receive your email.

The Travelwise programme aims to make students’ journeys to school active, social, safe and sustainable. Regular surveys of students' mode of travel to school are an important part of monitoring the effectiveness of a school's Safe School Travel Plan and the overall success of the Travelwise Programme. The survey results are also an important part of the annual Travelwise awards assessments.

All surveys need to be completed by 16 June.

Shane The Bike Chap recently visited Puni and Pukekohe Hill schools to share his collection of historical ‘wheels’. Starting with the first bicycle designed 200 years ago, Shane talked through the development of bicycle technology from simple wooden push along bikes to treadle bikes, bikes with pedals and finally the wonderful invention of the chain, which allowed bicycles to have two wheels the same size! Students were enthralled by Shane riding his ‘bone-crushing’ velocipede and thrilled by the spectacle of Shane riding his penny farthing.

Pukekohe Hill Schools holds regular wheels days and Puni is part of the Bikes In Schools programme. Learning about the history of bicycles and helmet safety is a wonderful way to encourage students to use their bikes and keep safe while doing so.

If you would like to have The Bike Chap visit your school as part of your school's commitment to promoting active transport and cycle safety, please contact your CTC.

Pupils from Nga Iwi school and Mangere Bridge school have contributed to a campaign in the greater Mangere area to address speed. The ‘Come on slow down” message came from community groups who want to engage with people they know and have conversations about what a safe speed is. Car drivers have a big role to play by driving at a speed that is safe for people on foot or on bikes going to school or to see their friends.   

If a space is shared between cars and pedestrians, then 60 km/hr is not safe. The difference between 40 km/hr and 60 km/hr is huge if a car hits a pedestrian or cyclist.

At 60 km/hr the person hit will probably die (for 9 out of 10 crashes), but at 40 km/hr it is much less likely (NZTA).

“Rail safety – it’s everyone's responsibility”

Rail Safety Week is an annual community awareness week held in Australia and New Zealand designed to engage the community in safe rail practices. 

Through the initiative, we aim to increase awareness of the importance of rail safety. Up to 48 rail, police and government organisations from across Australia and New Zealand participate in Rail Safety Week.

This year Rail Safety Week is 14 - 20 August. We will have some resources available to promote Rail Safety Week. Other ideas are also available on the Tracksafe Foundation website. 

Our walking-promotion activities are largely targeted at primary and intermediate students. However, secondary school students also benefit from walking to school. Benefits of walking to school include improved concentration, improved energy, improved physical health, saving money and community benefits around reduced congestion and greenhouse gases.

During June, a group of secondary schools are promoting walking to school at least twice a week. Follow up sessions will help us understand the effectiveness of the tools and resources for a secondary school audience.

Calling all high schools, are you having a pre-ball expo or parent evening, would you like to promote safe driving and road safety to your communities?

We have resources available to support safe driving and decision making in high schools;

• Learner license course - Community transport coordinators (CTCs) deliver the AT theory learner license course to students 15 years + who need help with learning the road code. Workbooks and a resource kit are provided.

• Crossroads presentation - this 45min (approx) presentation is delivered by Attitude. This presentation has a focus on young drivers and the challenges they currently/will face.

• Road Safety Expo – a great follow up activity to the Crossroads presentation (can be held same day or days after). CTCs set up and run 4 -5 stations that consist of a road safety quiz, hazard game, e-drive (virtual online driving experience), distraction game, fatal vision goggles, Speed guns, Breathalyser. This can be run during a lunchtime or during classroom hours where classes/groups are rotating around the stations.

• Host Responsibility – ideally aimed at parents. CTCs have a stand with mocktails at a parent/teacher evening or parent event engaging parents in conversation around their teen attending parties, hosting a party and the ball itself. We can also offer this as a student talk at a health expo or assembly.

On 16 June we're holding our annual Megastars awards evening to recognise the vital contribution of Travelwise lead teachers and Walking School Bus volunteers. Over the last few weeks, CTC's have been nominating lead teachers for their outstanding work for Travelwise programme, and we're excited to announce the list of nominees:

Congratulations to all of the nominees! We look forward to seeing you there!