Kerbcraft is an innovative road safety scheme that aims to reduce the number of children injured on our roads. Running since 2003, Kerbcraft teaches children aged 5 to 7 how to be safe pedestrians by giving them practical roadside training.
Children are taught 3 skills to help them cross roads safely:
- Choosing safe places and routes
- Crossing safely at parked cars
- Crossing safely near junctions
The children are taught near to the schools by trained volunteers. Children are taught in groups of two or three per trained adult depending on the skill being taught. Each skill is taught over 4 sessions, usually 1 per week. Once the children have received the training they are still encouraged to cross the road with an adult - it is not appropriate for them to be crossing roads independently yet.
The Welsh Government has funded Kerbcraft since its inception, seeing the scheme as an important element of achieving its target to reduce the numbers of children killed or seriously injured on our roads by 50% by the end of 2010.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is probably the first authority in Wales to take Kerbcraft into the majority of the 71 primary and infant schools in the county borough. The essential instruction given during Kerbcraft provides a foundation in responsible road use and may well play a vital role in influencing good driver attitudes in later life.
Schools participating in the Kerbcraft scheme (PDF 10kb)
Would you like to get involved?
The success of the scheme and the increase in numbers of children trained is largely achieved due to the work of the five Kerbcraft Assistants and the dedicated help of around 80 volunteers each term, some returning year after year. The scheme also relies on the co-operation of the schools, who appreciate the many dangers that children face on our roads. All volunteers are CRB checked.
If you are interested in volunteering some of your time to this valuable scheme, please contact one of our Child Pedestrian Training Co-ordinators on 01495 235078/5427.