National Curriculum should include road safety

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3 November 2021

TTC calls on Government to introduce road safety training into National Curriculum

The TTC Group, the UK’s leading road safety education provider is calling on the Government to introduce road safety training on to the National School Curriculum ahead of Road Safety Week 2021.

Brake, the road safety charity, is hosting its annual Road Safety Week from the 15th November and is providing training resources to teachers and road safety professionals nationwide. TTC Group, believe this initiative would prove beneficial for the safety of all, and are calling for road safety awareness to be taught in schools.

With 4,140 reported road casualties aged 0-16, and a further 7,630 casualties aged between 17-24, in 2020, there is a clear case for road safety to be added to the national curriculum if even a small percentage of these 11,770 casualties could be avoided.

“Younger drivers have a much higher chance of being in a crash due to over-confidence, inexperience and the fact they are more likely to take risks while on the road. Improved education for children and young people is vital, which is why we’re working with schools and colleges up and down the country this Road Safety Week to raise the profile of safe journeys.”
Jason Wakeford, Head of Campaigns, Brake

TTC has delivered an annual training programme to schools in the private sector across the UK, pioneering teacher-led road safety classes for students as young as 15. The interactive workshops are arranged to encourage students to engage with teachers, ask questions and gain valuable knowledge on a valuable future life skill.

The course is then delivered as a refresher to year 12 students as they approach their 17th birthdays and are therefore likely to experience driving for the first time.

In a similar fashion to other subjects like design and technology, TTC believes teaching road safety to students nationwide would provide the next generation of road users a potentially life-saving set of practical skills before leaving school, leaving them better prepared for when they start learning how to drive.

Part of the course TTC deliver discusses the ‘Fatal 4’; excess speed, mobile phone use, drink driving and lack of seatbelt use. By providing knowledge on these areas and the risks associated with driving, pupils will be far better prepared for life on the road as drivers and passengers.

Young drivers are sadly overrepresented in collision stats; 1 in 5 crash within their first year of driving and over 1,500 are killed or seriously injured each year.

Andy Wheeler, Head of Technical Delivery for TTC Group (pictured) commented:

“Too many young drivers are involved in crashes when they first pass their tests. By introducing this content into the National Curriculum, the Government can give students the opportunity to regularly learn about road safety and be better prepared for when they become drivers. With Brake’s Road Safety Week around the corner, now is a great time to help raise awareness to teachers and industry professionals on the dangers of driving and how we can all stay safer on the roads.”