Street Smart

Adam Goodes joins Safety Town

AFL player and Australian of the Year Adam Goodes has lent his support to the Safety Town program for schools and families.

The online schools resource is the first of its kind in Australia and features a safety video with Adam Goodes explaining key messages on distraction around roads and driveways. The AFL star said Safety Town delivered serious messages in an engaging way and was a valuable resource for parents and schools.

As children enter years 5 and 6 and become more independent, the Safety Town website helps parents to reinforce road safety messages with their children, especially when they are starting to walk home from school, to a friend’s house or sporting activities.

What students can learn from Safety Town at home

• Safety around buses
• Pedestrian distractions – featuring the Adam Goodes video
• Bike safety
• Safety around school drop-off and pick-up areas
• Seatbelt safety

Safety Town was developed for Transport for NSW by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards with representation from Department of Education and Communities, Association of Independent Schools and Catholic Education Commission.
Safety Town meets the curriculum outcomes of the Personal Development Health and Physical Education syllabus and covers some outcomes in the new NSW mathematics syllabus and new NSW English syllabus.

Road safety education program

We fund the NSW Road Safety Education Program to ensure that children and young people learn about road safety at school. The program is a partnership with the following bodies:

• Association of Independent Schools, phone 9299 2845
• Catholic Education Commission, phone 9287 1555
• Department of Education and Communities, phone 9266 8001
• Early Childhood Road Safety Education Program at Macquarie University, 9805 3200

Since 1986, the program has provided educational resources and professional development to teachers and child-care workers throughout NSW. This long-term educational strategy aims to develop and produce resources for students and provide professional development opportunities for teachers.

The program supports the delivery of road safety education to students by classroom teachers. It is part of the formal school curriculum and pre-service training for teachers.

The program aims to produce behavioural change through education and campaigns, starting in early childhood and continuing into primary and secondary school through to tertiary studies. As an advocate for children in road safety, the NSW Road Safety Education Program lobbies for best practice and provides resources for teachers and students.

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