City teaches young ones rules of the road in Mitchells Plain
15 March 2024
Today the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security and Urban Mobility directorates launched the new Road Safety Learner Centre in Mitchells Plain. The learner centre aims to educate and create awareness of road safety to young learners to ensure that they become appreciative and know the importance of road safety.
The City, led by Alderman JP Smith, Councillor Rob Quintas and the Western Cape Minister of Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie were joined by Grade 2 learners from the Hillside Primary School in Mitchells Plain.
Road Safety officers did a demonstration on the miniature road layout, doing interactive road safety do's and don'ts. The learners were also shown how to use their bicycles and scooters on the miniature road which was constructed from reclaimed asphalt.
This initiative was facilitated by the South African Road Federation (SARF) - a non-profit organisation representing a large number of groups with an interest in roads and transport. SARF members give freely of their time to various initiatives, including traffic safety matters, education and training in road transport and traffic related areas. Lobbying government with regard to traffic safety and transport related issues is one of their primary functions which they carry out at both national and regional levels.
'As the City's Urban Mobility directorate, we recognise that we can make a big difference in society when we work with children, the young ones here today and their friends outside. If we can instil good driver habits and awareness of road safety rules in our young people, then I am certain that in 10 years from now, we will have a new kind of driver, a better type of driver' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.
The facility will be maintained by the City's Roads Infrastructure Management department and operated by the Traffic Service's Road Safety Education Unit.
The unit regulates traffic around pedestrian crossings near schools; coaches scholar patrols on how to regulate traffic at crossings and conducts educational lectures around road safety at schools and Early Childhood Development Centres.
Topics include how to safely cross a road; observation and listening skills; understanding road signage; the importance of safety belts and general road safety.
Staff also simulate real world scenarios for children at the Junior Traffic Centre at Hillstar Driving Licence Testing Centre.
The new facility in Mitchells Plain will further expand the work already done in the area.
Between 1 July 2022 and 31 May 2023, the Road Safety Education Unit presented 245 classroom lectures to 10 148 children at 29 schools and ECDs in Mitchells Plain.
'Young children in our country are particularly vulnerable to injury or death from road-related incidents, so it is critical that we help them develop an understanding of, and appreciation for the rules of the road. Our road safety education unit does incredible work, and in a single year, reaches thousands of learners. However, there is something to be said for a show-and-tell format, particularly for young audiences. This facility will go a long way in helping children gain a practical understanding of the concepts they are taught during our road safety education lectures, and save lives to boot,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Captions:
- Young learners drive around the course with traffic officials guiding them
- From Left to Right: Director Hilton Scholtz, Councillor Ashley Potts, Councillor Rob Quintas, MEC Ricardo Mackenzie, Councillor Elton Jansen, Alderman JP Smith and Moegamat Adams in Mitchells Plain
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
