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KIDDS – Kids Involved in Driving Down Speed

Motorists driving around the New Plymouth District in recent months could be forgiven for thinking someone was watching them. Chances are they were right!

Children from six district primary schools have spent several weeks recording vehicle speed data around their schools as part of a unique project called KIDDS – Kids Involved in Driving Down Speed. The project is a partnership initiative between ACC, New Plymouth Police, RoadSense and the schools, and is coordinated through the New Plymouth injury Safe (NPiS) Trust. The project primarily aims to raise awareness of and take action to address road safety around schools, supporting a broader district-wide aim to achieve a positive safety culture and create a safer environment in New Plymouth (the District was designated a WHO Safe Community in 2005).

So, how did they go about it? As well as collecting vehicle speed data, the children recorded information on road and weather conditions noting their observations on issues such as parking, congestion and traffic volume. The data was analysed by the children who then used it to develop their own ideas for solutions to their individual schools’ road safety issues. They then presented their findings at a conference in New Plymouth on 28th June to a packed audience that included New Plymouth MP and Minister for Transport Safety Hon Harry Duynhoven, Councillors, Police, Road Engineers and representatives from Land Transport New Zealand and Transit NZ.

The presentations, delivered entirely by children, included large displays of photos, artwork, road models and design work. Safety issues highlighted included excessive traffic speed, congestion, parking problems and high traffic volume. Solutions proposed by the children included reducing speed limits around schools, improved signage, increased parking spaces and education of parents. The hard work put in by the children certainly paid off as key transport safety representatives at the conference expressed their commitment to work with the children in future to explore how their ideas could be put into practice.

The local support given at the conference for addressing these issues means that the KIDDS conference was not the end of the project, but is in fact just the beginning. The next step for children leading this exciting project is to put together a formal presentation to the New Plymouth District Council, as well as meeting with those working in road safety and engineering to develop a plan of action. In the meantime, New Plymouth injury Safe (NPiS) Trust are applying to the Taranaki Community Road Safety Programme for funding to support the schools with some of the proposals that have arisen as a result of this project.

If you would like to know more about the project or are interested in developing a similar initiative in your area, please contact Channa Perry, NPiS Safe Community Programme Manager on 06 753 7777 x8792 or email npis@tdhb.org.nz.