Educating youth about road safety is important to help them develop the skills and knowledge to make safer choices.
This knowledge allows them to take actions to decrease the risk of injuries and death. The Injury Profile of Windsor and Essex County, 2016, reports a general decrease in the number of transport collisions in our community, however, there were higher prevalence rates among adolescents and young adults (15-24 years old), particularly among males. Of those injured as a result of a collision, 51% occupied a car and 22% occupied a bicycle (WECHU, 2016).
All drivers need to be responsible and understand that driving is a privilege. Supporting newer drivers/students to understand concerns related to risky driving behaviours such as distraction, drug/alcohol impairment, fatigue, speeding, and aggression is essential for well-being. The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) studied distracted driving and found that in 2021 significantly more Canadians, (31.7%), reported often talking on their hands-free phones while driving. Data shows a significant increase in the percentage of respondents who reported they often texted on their phones from 2010 (4.8%) to 2021 (13.1%) which is a 173% increase (TIRF, 2022). TIRF’s, 2023 Canadian report related to cannabis and driving reports a concerning increase in drug-impaired driving fatalities and injuries in Canada in the past 5 years (TIRF, 2023).
Road safety responsibility also includes vehicle passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. For example, before crossing the road, pedestrians need to make sure that drivers can see them and can stop before they enter the roadway. Drivers have a duty to drive safely and limit distractions while yielding to pedestrians. Pedestrians and cyclists should also limit their distractions. This includes not using a cell phone when crossing roads or wearing earbuds while cycling to decrease the risk of injury. Everyone has a part to play in keeping our roads safe by following all the laws that are in place.
Educators, parents, and caregivers can support road safety with their students and children to ensure that they develop confidence and stay safe on their routes. Schools are an important setting for this for students of all ages. Skills and habits that promote personal safety should be taught and strengthened in the school setting and at home. This will set students up for success and help to prevent or lessen the burden of injury.
Using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework, schools, school boards, parents and community partners can work together to develop healthy school environments that promote and support student well-being.
Resources & Information for:
Resources
- The Safety Village- Safety Education Classes: School programs offered on various topics to elementary students with grade-focused themes some on road safety rules, and bike safety. It’s a hands-on educational opportunity. There is a fee and busing cost related to this on-site activity. The village is supported by community safety partners.
- Ottawa Safety Council- RoadSMARTS4Kids (RS4K) Library: Created in 2020 with the support of Transport Canada educational resources for use by municipalities, school boards, schools, teachers, and educators. RS4K makes learning key road safety concepts, skills, and awareness fun and engaging for elementary-age children while meeting curriculum requirements. Topics covered include cycling, walking, sharing our roads, booster seat safety, and preparing to walk places alone for the first time. Many of the resources are also available in French.
- Parachute-Pedestrian Safety (French): Several supports to increase safety for walkers.
- Cycling (French): Safety tips for drivers and cyclists, resources, and videos.
- Road Safety (French): Support around winter driving and the risk behaviours in order to prevent motor vehicle collisions.
- CK Public Health- Safe Cycling; Riding a Safe Bike: An educational video describing safety equipment needs for cycling.
- Safe Cycling: Using a bike lane: Main points about bike lanes.
- Safe Cycling: 1m passing law & sharing the road: How motorist should approach a cyclist. Also discusses the importance of younger children learning to ride in a traffic-free setting.
Lessons and Activities
- Ottawa Safety Council- RoadSMARTS E-cademy Free Virtual E-Learning Courses (French): Courses offered for students from JK to grade 6 that take between 20 to 40 minutes to complete. Personalized certificates can be downloaded after completion.
- Ophea: Free online resources developed to support educators in implementing the Ontario Health and Physical Activity Curriculum (Grades 1-12), including lesson plans and resources regarding road safety and injury prevention. Must create an account to access resources.
- Assessing Dangerous Situations: A lesson plan targeting grade 8’s to identify danger and what behaviours can help reduce this risk. Working in groups students review a scenario and discuss answers to set questions.
- Crossing Streets Safely: After discussing traffic safety rules, early-year students can role-play crossing the street safely.
- RCMP Centre for Youth Crime Prevention (French): Engaging materials support lesson plans for upper grades related to driving.
- Ophea Healthy Schools Certification: Gives your school the tools to promote and enhance the health and well-being of students, school staff, and the broader school community. Contact your school nurse at 519-258-2146 x 1555 for more information on how they can support your school in achieving a Healthy Schools Certification.
- OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving): A charity that empowers secondary youth to eliminate impaired driving. Volunteers become enriched with leadership skills and communication opportunities, to support their peers in making better choices.
- MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Canada- SmartWheels: Mobile classroom interactive presentation for grades 7 & 8 students about the risks of experimenting with alcohol and drugs. It also includes information about how they can avoid becoming passengers in vehicles with impaired drivers. Teaching resources are available for download prior to the presentation for classroom use. Currently only available in English.
- Final Play: School presentation that brings awareness to impaired driving (alcohol and drug) and risk reduction messaging for students in grades 7 through 12. Teaching resources are available for download prior to the presentation for classroom use. Available in French.
Student council or student wellness council to actively participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.
- School Mental Health Ontario-Inspirational Graffiti (French): Use sidewalk chalk in front of the school or school yard to create messages. Ideas for themes can be found under the School Campaigns and Social Media section.
- Parachute- Canadian Youth Road Safety Council (French): A project that partners with Canadian youth to become more effective at addressing road fatalities and injuries by deepening the understanding of attitudes and perceptions. This 2022 report, Factors that impact driving behaviour in young drivers and promising practices for young driver engagement provides a better understanding of how to engage youth.
School Campaigns and Social Media
- Parachute- Safe Kids Week (French): This occurs at the end of May each year. An annual effort to raise public awareness of child safety issues in Canada that aims to involve the community
- Parachute- National Teen Driver Safety Week (French): This occurs the third week of October. Resources support regions to work with youth to prevent dangerous driving behaviours.
- Ontario Active School Travel- Bike to School Week (French): This is a celebration of the journey to school by two (or three!) wheels that takes place annually during the last week of May. This year, Bike to School Week will be celebrated from May 29 - June 2, 2023.
- MADD- Project Red Ribbon (French): A campaign committing to driving sober. The campaign runs yearly from November 1st to early January.
- Canadian Automobile Association (CAA)- Distracted Driving (French): A distracted driving campaign that provides facts and tips for drivers.
- Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators- Leave the Phone Alone (French): An awareness campaign to pledge avoiding distraction.
- RCMP- We’d like youth to know (French): An infographic with cannabis messaging that can be downloaded and shared with your school.
- WECHU- Active Safe Routes to School Toolkit (Available in French): This toolkit contains information on school travel planning, including:
- Common barriers to school active travel and ways to address them.
- A step-by-step process for school travel planning.
- Key resources to use throughout the process.
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation- Transportation safety (French): A collection of resources to support an understanding of driving and transportation safety laws and penalties for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous and illegal. Know what counts as impaired driving and the penalties you could face for it before you get behind the wheel.
Resources and Support in the Community
- The Safety Village: Check for onsite events so that your child can safely explore the mini village, learning that can be put into practice in their neigbourhood.
- BusKids.ca (French) also known as Windsor-Essex Student Transportation Services (WESTS): provides safety pointers, programs/training, and updates if buses are running or cancelled due to bad weather.
- Windsor Police Service- Safety Patrol: Student volunteers wearing lime-green vests are trained as Foot and Bus Patrollers supporting the safety of their peers.
Additional Resources and Support
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation- Bicycle safety (French): An overview of how to keep yourself safe while cycling. The Young cyclist’s guide (French) is a kid-friendly handbook providing tips and rules of the road.
- The Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Driver’s Handbook (French): A resource to help prepare for a G1 driver’s licence and Level 2 road tests. The website also includes sample test questions.
- Teens Learn to Drive (TL2D)- Before you hand over the keys: A podcast for parents to improve how to coach a new or learning driver. On the TL2D site are tips on how to choose a driving school, car selection, videos, and other resources.
- CAA National- Cycling (French): Resources to share with your family. Topics include information on how motorists can share the road safely and ways for cyclists to be seen, heard, and ready.
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation-Driving near pedestrian crossovers and school crossings (French): Outlined are the rules and penalties. Learn about new types of crossovers that have come to Ontario and how these are different than crosswalks.
- ML Health Unit- Tony the Street-Wise Cat: Videos created by youth that support younger children’s understanding of where to walk in relation to the markings on the roads.
- TIRF- Speed & Distraction, #MyDrivingMatters ‘That was CLOSE!’ Vodcast, Episode 1: Includes simple steps for teens to use to keep themselves safe and ways parents can support their teens as they learn to drive.
- MADD Canada- Information for Parents Impaired Driving (French): Facts on how to talk to children about impaired driving. This organization offers victim support, youth services, awareness campaigns, and events.
- Parachute- Car Seats (French): Facts on when children can sit in the front seat or move out of a booster seat.
Resources and Support in the Community
- The Safety Village: Check for onsite events so that your child can safely explore the mini village, learning that can be put into practice in their neigbourhood.
- BusKids.ca (French) also known as Windsor-Essex Student Transportation Services (WESTS): provides safety pointers, programs/training, and updates if buses are running or cancelled due to bad weather.
- Windsor Police Service- Safety Patrol: Student volunteers wearing lime-green vests are trained as Foot and Bus Patrollers supporting the safety of their peers.
Additional Resources and Support
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation- Bicycle safety (French): An overview of how to keep yourself safe while cycling. The Young cyclist’s guide (French) is a kid-friendly handbook providing tips and rules of the road.
- The Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Driver’s Handbook (French): A resource to help prepare for a G1 driver’s licence and Level 2 road tests. The website also includes sample test questions.
- Teens Learn to Drive (TL2D)- Before you hand over the keys: A podcast for parents to improve how to coach a new or learning driver. On the TL2D site are tips on how to choose a driving school, car selection, videos, and other resources.
- CAA National- Cycling (French): Resources to share with your family. Topics include information on how motorists can share the road safely and ways for cyclists to be seen, heard, and ready.
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation-Driving near pedestrian crossovers and school crossings (French): Outlined are the rules and penalties. Learn about new types of crossovers that have come to Ontario and how these are different than crosswalks.
- ML Health Unit- Tony the Street-Wise Cat: Videos created by youth that support younger children’s understanding of where to walk in relation to the markings on the roads.
- TIRF- Speed & Distraction, #MyDrivingMatters ‘That was CLOSE!’ Vodcast, Episode 1: Includes simple steps for teens to use to keep themselves safe and ways parents can support their teens as they learn to drive.
- MADD Canada- Information for Parents Impaired Driving (French): Facts on how to talk to children about impaired driving. This organization offers victim support, youth services, awareness campaigns, and events.
- Parachute- Car Seats (French): Facts on when children can sit in the front seat or move out of a booster seat.
Student council or student wellness council to actively participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.
- School Mental Health Ontario-Inspirational Graffiti (French): Use sidewalk chalk in front of the school or school yard to create messages. Ideas for themes can be found under the School Campaigns and Social Media section.
- Parachute- Canadian Youth Road Safety Council (French): A project that partners with Canadian youth to become more effective at addressing road fatalities and injuries by deepening the understanding of attitudes and perceptions. This 2022 report, Factors that impact driving behaviour in young drivers and promising practices for young driver engagement provides a better understanding of how to engage youth.
School Campaigns and Social Media
- Parachute- Safe Kids Week (French): This occurs at the end of May each year. An annual effort to raise public awareness of child safety issues in Canada that aims to involve the community
- Parachute- National Teen Driver Safety Week (French): This occurs the third week of October. Resources support regions to work with youth to prevent dangerous driving behaviours.
- Ontario Active School Travel- Bike to School Week (French): This is a celebration of the journey to school by two (or three!) wheels that takes place annually during the last week of May. This year, Bike to School Week will be celebrated from May 29 - June 2, 2023.
- MADD- Project Red Ribbon (French): A campaign committing to driving sober. The campaign runs yearly from November 1st to early January.
- Canadian Automobile Association (CAA)- Distracted Driving (French): A distracted driving campaign that provides facts and tips for drivers.
- Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators- Leave the Phone Alone (French): An awareness campaign to pledge avoiding distraction.
- RCMP- We’d like youth to know (French): An infographic with cannabis messaging that can be downloaded and shared with your school.
Resources and Support in the Community
- The Safety Village: Check for onsite events so that your child can safely explore the mini village, learning that can be put into practice in their neigbourhood.
- BusKids.ca (French) also known as Windsor-Essex Student Transportation Services (WESTS): provides safety pointers, programs/training, and updates if buses are running or cancelled due to bad weather.
- Windsor Police Service- Safety Patrol: Student volunteers wearing lime-green vests are trained as Foot and Bus Patrollers supporting the safety of their peers.
Additional Resources and Support
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation- Bicycle safety (French): An overview of how to keep yourself safe while cycling. The Young cyclist’s guide (French) is a kid-friendly handbook providing tips and rules of the road.
- The Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Driver’s Handbook (French): A resource to help prepare for a G1 driver’s licence and Level 2 road tests. The website also includes sample test questions.
- Teens Learn to Drive (TL2D)- Before you hand over the keys: A podcast for parents to improve how to coach a new or learning driver. On the TL2D site are tips on how to choose a driving school, car selection, videos, and other resources.
- CAA National- Cycling (French): Resources to share with your family. Topics include information on how motorists can share the road safely and ways for cyclists to be seen, heard, and ready.
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation-Driving near pedestrian crossovers and school crossings (French): Outlined are the rules and penalties. Learn about new types of crossovers that have come to Ontario and how these are different than crosswalks.
- ML Health Unit- Tony the Street-Wise Cat: Videos created by youth that support younger children’s understanding of where to walk in relation to the markings on the roads.
- TIRF- Speed & Distraction, #MyDrivingMatters ‘That was CLOSE!’ Vodcast, Episode 1: Includes simple steps for teens to use to keep themselves safe and ways parents can support their teens as they learn to drive.
- MADD Canada- Information for Parents Impaired Driving (French): Facts on how to talk to children about impaired driving. This organization offers victim support, youth services, awareness campaigns, and events.
- Parachute- Car Seats (French): Facts on when children can sit in the front seat or move out of a booster seat.