An innovative way of teaching children road safety, known as Kerbcraft, has been introduced as part of a Scottish Government pilot scheme, which will be run in ten schools in South Ayrshire over a three year period

The new training programme will be delivered by parents, guardians and relatives of pupils, who have successfully completed the Kerbcraft Trainers course.

Kerbcraft originated in a Drumchapel housing estate in Glasgow where there was an exceptionally high child pedestrian accident rate. Evaluation of the scheme showed that it led to substantial improvements in the children’s judgements and behaviour when at the roadside, and less pedestrian accidents.

Kerbcraft aims to:

• Teach children from five to six years of age about road safety by delivering practical training at the roadside rather than in the classroom.
• Recruit and train parents, guardians and relatives of pupils as volunteers to show children the skills needed to be safe pedestrians.

• Recognising safe or dangerous crossing points
• Crossing safely at parked cars
• Crossing safely near junctions

To comply with Health and Safety Regulations during each training session the Kerbside Trainer will wear an identification badge and high visibility clothing.

Convener of the Council’s Economic and Tourism Development Committee, Councillor Robert Campbell recently met two groups of children taking part in the Kerbside Trainers Course, one group at Kincaidston Community School, Ayr and the other at Gardenrose Primary School Maybole.

After watching the training Councillor Campbell said: “The children all seemed to thoroughly enjoy the training, and the fact that it is taught outside of the school in a ‘live’ situation with a Kerbside Trainer seems to make it more interesting for them.

“Kerbcraft training is designed to equip children with the necessary skills to keep them safe in the future. However, it should be remembered that a responsible adult must always supervise children when they are at the roadside. Kerbcraft is only the first step towards a child becoming an independent traveller in the future.”

The Kerbcraft Trainers course, which was delivered by Officers from the Council’s Road Safety Section, showed trainers the best way to teach children to:

• Choose a safe place and route to cross the road
• Cross safely at simple, hazardous and complex junctions
• Cross away from obstacles
• Not cross a road diagonally and the reasons why
• Cross safely at parked cars.

During the training sessions the children learn to cross a road in a variety of situations, with the trainers asking them questions which stimulate the children to think for themselves where the safest place to cross would be. The group may then cross a road together, which allows the children to interact and learn from each other and the trainer. Once the children have learned, observed and practised together they have an opportunity to practice independently. At the end of each class the trainer again demonstrates the correct way to cross at the type of road situation that they have been concentrating on, reinforcing the road safety message to the children.

Children who complete the Kerbside course will be presented with a certificate to mark their achievement.

Councillor Robert Campbell pictured with Kerbcraft trainers and co-ordinators, and children from Kincaidston Community School, Ayr, after joining them in a Kerbcraft class.

Councillor Robert Campbell pictured with Kerbcraft trainers and co-ordinators, and children from Gardenrose Primary School, Maybole, after joining them in a Kerbcraft class.