Primary school pupils give drivers a lesson in safety

Pupils have been helping the police and council to enforce local speed limits near their school.

The Year 5 and 6 pupils from Emmanuel Holcombe Primary School used speed checking equipment to catch motorists who drove too fast.

The aim, however, was education rather than prosecution; so drivers who were stopped by the police were given the chance to talk to the pupils and answer three questions about their driving and how they would feel if their loved ones were affected by a speeding driver.

PC David Johnson from Ramsbottom Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Sometimes a message from a child can be more effective than a message from an authority figure, because it makes us stop and think about what we are doing and how that can affect other people. We hope the drivers realise how lucky they have been and how dangerous speeding can be to all road users.”

The four drivers who were stopped and questioned thought that this was a positive way to highlight the dangers of speeding and encourage them to slow down.

Local residents even came out to thank the children for the work they were doing and the positive impact that it could have on many people that live in and travel through the area.

Ted Booker, council road safety officer, said: “We are very grateful to the school, the parents and the children for really embracing this project. We hope that the children involved have a heightened awareness of road safety and that the drivers that were stopped are more respectful towards the community areas that they drive through.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 12 May 2015.

Picture: Pupils at Emmanuel Holcombe Primary School help the police educate speeding drivers outside their school.