| As winter sets in, the accident toll for school children | | | | and make a real difference to visibility that could truly |
| increases. Dark mornings and evenings make roads | | | | save lives. They are light and easy to fold up and can |
| even more dangerous - especially when combined | | | | be stashed in a pocket or school bag. Where it's |
| with the typical dismal weather conditions. With | | | | not possible to wear a tabard, reflective armbands |
| winter's reduced visibility, drivers may only see | | | | and shoulder belts should be worn to provide some |
| cyclists and pedestrians at the very last moment, | | | | increased visibility. These can be easily picked up by |
| when there is little time to react and avoid an | | | | drivers' headlights in the dark, making pedestrians and |
| accident. | | | | cyclists visible from a much greater distance and |
| The government's reticence to keep British Summer | | | | allowing drivers much more awareness. |
| Time in place all year long is causing deaths and | | | | We need to make sure children wear the reflective |
| hundreds of injuries to youngsters travelling to and | | | | clothing and accessories, of course, so parents need |
| from school in dark and murky conditions. | | | | to check in the morning and teachers at end of |
| Make you and your family stand out | | | | school. Or if school staff are stretched, most schools |
| However careful you are, whether walking or driving, | | | | already have a prefect system in place. It would be |
| you simply cannot rely on others to be equally | | | | an ideal task for older prefects to take charge and |
| safety-conscious. Pedestrians and cyclists need to | | | | monitor the younger children to enforce such safety |
| take responsibility for their road safety and make | | | | rules. |
| themselves as visible and obvious as possible in poor | | | | Keeping British Summer Time throughout the year |
| light. So it's up to you to make you and your family | | | | As long as the clocks go back each October and go |
| stand out from winter's murk. You should support the | | | | forward when the days get naturally longer, road |
| campaign to get UK schools adopt a new, brilliant | | | | safety will continue to be compromised. Making |
| fluorescent orange 'uniform' for autumn and winter. | | | | British Summer Time a year-long constant is a simple |
| Traditional school uniforms tend to be dark colours, | | | | and entirely logical way of keeping days as bright as |
| such as navy blue, grey or bottle green, which are | | | | possible when children are travelling to and from |
| difficult to make out in the dark. Similarly as | | | | school, thereby saving lives and reducing injuries. |
| temperatures drop, winter coats also tend to be | | | | If we want to see safer roads in autumn and winter |
| dark colours, which can make pedestrians even more | | | | then we should all take every opportunity to demand |
| difficult to see in dim conditions - especially if it | | | | that British Summer Time runs all year round and that |
| happens to be foggy or raining too! | | | | dark winter roads become a thing of the past for |
| It costs little to be safe | | | | school children. |
| Bright orange tabards or over-vests are inexpensive | | | | |