Cape Town: The Metro Police Department conducts hundreds of road safety lectures each year to young, enthusiastic audiences. The Road Safety Education section hosted 1363 road safety lectures and conducted more than 3000 scholar patrol visits, from July 2024.
Reportedly, the Traffic Service’s Road Safety Education section of the City of Cape Town teaches learners about all aspects of road safety. The officers attached to the unit visit schools and engaged with learners between foundation phase and primary school level at the Junior Traffic Training Centre (JTTC).
In one of the latest interventions, more than 40 Grade 2 learners from Christel House in Ottery visited the Hillstar JTTC, this week. The centre is set up to help facilitate an understanding of the basic road rules in a ‘show and tell’ environment.
The Hillstar JTTC was established in year 2008, and in 2024, a second facility was opened in Mitchells Plain.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith said that the road safety record in this country is problematic and motor vehicle accidents is one of the top-ranking causes of death amongst young children.
As per Smith, the team taught them critical lifesaving skills of being responsible road users and empowered children to stand up for their rights and safety and that of others.
Moreover, it is critical that children know where the safe spaces are to play, how to safely cross a road and that they need to be strapped in at all times when seated in a vehicle. One thing that shocks JP Smith continuously, is the number of people who insist on driving with children sitting on their laps or standing between seats, despite of very clear and current danger it presents.
Notably, the more young children the team are able to reach, the more young ambassadors they will develop and hopefully they can also turn the tide and make the roads safer for all.