Children think drivers are too fast around their neighbourhood, survey finds

Drivers urged to slow to 20mph around schools, homes and shops

A national survey launched for Road Safety Week has found 86 per cent of UK children think drivers go too fast around their homes and schools.

The survey by charity Brake and business insurance specialist QBE of 15,531 nine to 13 year olds also found that ten per cent say they have been knocked down while on foot or bicycle and 56 per cent have had a near miss.

Children, schools, community groups and families bereaved by speed are joining forces with Brake to call on drivers to slow down to 20mph or below around schools, homes and shops.

Brake is also calling on the government to put in place a strategy and targets to continue bringing child deaths and serious injuries down with a long term goal to reduce them to zero and to make communities safer for families to walk and cycle without fear of fast traffic.

Of the 11-13 year-olds surveyed, only 33 per cent say they always follow the green cross code when on foot unaccompanied.

In 2009, 195 children under 18 were killed and 4,188 were seriously injured on UK roads, with 59 per cent of these deaths and serious injuries children on foot and bicycle.

More results from the survey shows that six per cent of nine to 11 year-old kids and 13 per cent of 11-13 year-olds say they have been hit by a vehicle when walking or cycling and 50 per cent of nine to 11 year-old kids and 61 per cent of 11-13 year-olds say they have had a near-miss walking or cycling.

Julie Townsend, campaigns director at Brake, says: "For a society that places so much importance on the safety and wellbeing of our children, it is shocking and unacceptable that so many children die and suffer appalling injuries on our roads."

Further information:
Road Safety Week