Teaching children about road safety is a big task, but the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL) made it fun at its inaugural Road Safety School Holiday Program in October.
Buslink NT’s Customer Experience Manager Ross Robertson and Community Engagement Manager Colin Majid were on hand to help Hector the Road Safety Cat spread the safety message at the week-long event at the government’s road safety facility, the Parap Road Safety Centre.
Participants were encouraged to bring their bikes and helmets to practise safe riding, in addition to many other fun activities.
Families and their children couldn’t miss the Buslink stand when they walked in, with the Palmerston school bus decorated with the winning design of a recent bus safety awareness art competition also on display.
“Colin and I were there every day giving parents and their children insights into requirements for safe bus travel and alighting at bus stops, such as waiting for it to depart before crossing the road,” Mr Robertson said.
The two also rewarded families for their attendance with free promotional giveaways.
DIPL Manager Public Transport Ahmed Fathy said the Department and Hector the Road Safety Cat were pleased to have Buslink NT’s support in driving home important road safety messages.
“As an essential provider of school transport and the largest bus operator in the Northern Territory, it was wonderful to have Buslink’s support in driving home the fundamentals of road safety to the local community,” he said.
The Department has several initiatives to teach Territory children about road safety, including its road safety centres in Darwin and Alice Springs, which are used for the sole purpose of road safety education, and its school road safety education programs with Hector the Road Safety Cat.
Hector’s road safety song ‘Stop, Look, Listen, Think’ is central to his road safety message.
Childcare providers and educators can book a road safety lesson for children by following the links on the NT Government website.
The Road Safety School Holiday Program ran from Monday, October 4 to Friday, October 8, with several hundred people attending.
