Oxfordshire principal calling for more student education around road safety
Around one in five school children have either been hit or narrowly missed, according to new research.
Last updated 10th Sep 2024
There are calls from a Principal in Oxfordshire for there to be more education around road safety for children, as many are distracted by their phones whilst crossing the road.
It comes after statistics show that one in five secondary school pupils who use their phone while walking (18%) have either been hit, or involved in a near miss, according to Churchill Motor Insurance.
Nationally, there have been around 1,200 children injured every month in traffic related collisions within 500m of a school.
With schools going back last week, there are ‘more than half of children walking at least some of the way to alone who are juggling the distraction of a mobile phone with making their way to school without supervision’, according to the new research.
'We don't want to wait for something to happen'
Carley Berry is the Principal at Wykham Park Academy in Banbury and she says “screen down, eyes up is the perfect way to summarise it as we should all be having out eyes up”.
Ms Berry feels that there needs to be more education and awareness before it’s too late, she said:
“There’s been nothing that’s a horror story or an incident so far, but we do not want to wait for something for happen in order to then be proactive rather than reactive. That’s why we’ve been working with students so that they can feel a little bit safer out there.
“I just think that there needs to be a bit more of a heightened public consciousness around how dangerous it can be walking around with your phone in your hand and that distraction. We want to pre-empt anything awful happening to our young people because there’s nothing more important than their safety and safeguarding them”.
'Parent's also have a responsibility'
Ms Berry also feels that ‘schools can only do so much’ and tells us how parents can help too, she said: “Parents have a responsibility to model the behaviours around mobile phones that they’re expecting their young children and teenagers to practice.
“One of the things parents could encourage is just have it in your bag because if you have it in your pocket or blazer, because if it’s there then the temptation is just too much.”
In the research, behavioural scientists analysed mobile phone usage by pupils around schools, identifying the huge number looking at their screens when crossing roads.
They found that over two thirds (69%) of children admitted they often feel distracted on the phone when walking that they are unaware of their surroundings, and that almost half (45%) of students use their phones to scroll social media while walking.