TRoad Safety

Teachers’ Notes

in Citizenship 2

Contents - To select relevant section, please click on link below

Introduction 1

Speed 5

Car Crashes 11

Motorcycling 21

Starting Work and 25Work Experience

Published by RoSPA

© The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents,Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road,Birmingham B5 7STTelephone: 0870 777 2171/0121 248 2000Fax: 0870 777 2199/0121 248 2001

RoSPA is a Registered Charity, No. 207823VAT Registration No. 655 1316 49

www.rospa.comProduced with the support of theDepartment for Transport

Road safety is an important issue for students at KeyStage 4 (KS4) and upwards. Young people aged 15/16years are moving away from parental control,making choices about life after GCSE’s and are more‘in control’ of their lives. Socialising is important andthere is increasing peer group pressure. Risk takingand thrill seeking play a bigger part in their livesand in some cases, so does exposure to criminality.

At 15 years students are beginning to think aboutother forms of transport, like mopeds and scooters.They may have started to think about driving andmay have friends who are able to drive. They arevulnerable on the roads and will take risks.

● When children travel by car the risk of death orserious injury is highest when they are aged 14 or15 years

● A girl of 15 is almost 3 times as likely to be killed orseriously injured in a car than a girl of 13

● Over 50% of the 15 year olds killed or seriouslyinjured in cars are being driven by drivers underthe age of 21 1

It is likely that students will have received some roadsafety education at primary school, but this is oftenlearning about rules and may not have involvedstudents assessing risk and considering theconsequences of their actions. By including roadsafety in the curriculum for KS4 and above, there isan opportunity for students to develop the skillsnecessary to make sensible, safe choices andenhance their personal development and safety.However road safety is not specifically included inthe curriculum and although, as a topic, it readily fitswith Citizenship, it often becomes squeezed out bymore ‘popular’ topics, like drugs and sexual health.As a non-examinable subject, the time afforded forCitizenship studies at KS4 and above can beextremely constrained within the timetable.

Therefore this resource has been developed to allowstudents to ‘dip into’ it when time permits. This couldbe during class time at the start of the day, or duringlesson time. It is not necessary to complete all of theactivities or discussions, students can pick andchoose what to do, depending on the time they

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Introduction

1 ‘The Facts about Road Accidents and Children’: The AA Motoring Trust

have. In this way, the resource is intended to bedifferent to formal lesson plans.

This is the second ‘Road Safety in Citizenship’resource. The first follows the same format andincludes Student Sheets on ‘Learning to Drive orRide’, ‘Drink, Drugs and Driving’, ‘The Impact of the Media’ and ‘Passenger Safety’. It can bedownloaded free from www.rospa.com/roadsafety/citizenship/index.htm

Lesson plans for Citizenship with a road safetytheme are available from the Department forTransport at www.databases.dft.gov.uk/secondary

The ResourceAlthough the resource is primarily aimed atyoung people at Key Stage 4 and links directlywith the KS4 Citizenship agenda, it can alsobe used by older students. The resourcecomprises these teachers notes and fourstudent sheets, covering the following topics:

SpeedMotorcyclingCrashesStarting Work/Work Experience

Using the ResourceIt is suggested that the teacher copies the StudentSheets, but not the Teachers’ Notes, onto the schoolnetwork or onto student’s individual computers.

The CD does not Auto Run.You will need to double-click on the item you wish to open.The Student Sheets have hyperlinks to websitesand navigation buttons and print buttons on each page.

The Student Sheets can also be printed and used ashard copies. In this case the hyperlinks will not work,but the route to each document is described in theUseful Publications.

If a hyperlink stops working (for example, a websitemay change or a document may be moved from itsoriginal location), students should go to the homepage of the website concerned and use the search

facility or simply browse around the site.As well as the suggested websites and documents,entering relevant terms in a search engine willusually produce good results. Of course, there is arisk this may lead students to undesireable websiteson occasion, therefore, students should be advisedabout what to do if this happens. Each StudentSheet contains key facts, ideas for discussion, studentactivities and links to relevant websites and othersources of information. The students are encouragedto research and discover the information that theyneed to complete the activities and discussions,using the internet. Not all of the informationrequired to complete the work is on the sheet.

The resource is not intended to be prescriptive butgives the opportunity for student led activity andresearch. It is anticipated that the students willmostly work through the Student Sheets in groups,pairs or individually. Teachers will need to assess theability of the student group and decide on theamount of assistance that will be required tocomplete the work and also decide how much of thework the group can achieve in the time allowed.

Students will be requested to:● Research issues and problems by analysing

information from this resource and other sources,including the analysis of statistics

● Express, justify and defend orally and in writingtheir own personal opinions about various roadsafety issues, problems or events

● Contribute to group discussions and debate issues.

Activities will require students to:● Use their imagination ● Consider other people’s opinions ● Formulate and express their own opinions● Reflect on the process of participating.

The activities and discussions allow students torecognise their vulnerability as road users andrecognise that safety is about choices. The work willhelp students think about their own behaviour.

Teacher’s Notes for the Student SheetsThere are Teacher’s Notes for each of thefour Student Sheets containing backgroundinformation, advice on completing the activities, on

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where students can find information, using theinternet and guidance on learning outcomes and advice.

Assessment in CitizenshipAssessment should be a planned part of effectiveteaching and learning. The Qualifications andCurriculum Authority publish guidance onassessment, recording and reporting Citizenship atKey Stages 1-4 (www.qca.org.uk/). This is designed tohelp schools work with pupils to develop appropriateand manageable ways of assessing progress andachievement in citizenship.

The guidance includes:● The requirements for assessment, recording and

reporting● The principles of assessment in Citizenship● Progression in Citizenship● Managing and coordinating assessment,

recording and reporting in Citizenship● Questions to help teachers and pupils plan

assessment● Examples of how different schools may organise

assessment, recording and reporting Citizenship● Examples of Citizenship to parents● Further sources of information.

It is a good idea to obtain this resource and refer to itwhen writing your scheme of work for Citizenship.

Other useful sources of information include ‘The National Curriculum Handbook for secondaryteachers’ QCA/99/458; (www.nc.uk.net) and theDfES Citizenship website: www.dfes.co.uk/citizenship.

Areas of the Citizenship Curriculum covered by this resourceThe Citizenship curriculum states that teachingshould ensure that knowledge and understandingabout becoming informed citizens are acquired andapplied when developing skills of enquiry andcommunication, and participation and responsibleaction.

Knowledge and understanding aboutbecoming informed citizensPupils should be taught about:● The legal and human rights and responsibilities

underpinning society and how they relate tocitizens, including the role and operation of thecriminal and civil justice systems

● The work of parliament, the government and thecourts in making and shaping the law

● How the economy functions, including the role ofbusiness and financial services

● The opportunities for individuals and voluntarygroups to bring about social change locally,nationally, in Europe and internationally

● The importance of free press and the media’s rolein society in proving information and affectingopinion

● The rights and responsibilities of consumers,employers and employees.

Developing skills of enquiry and communicationPupils should be taught to:● Research a topical, political, spiritual, moral, social

or cultural issue, problem or event by analysinginformation from different sources, showing anawareness of the use and abuse of statistics

● Express, justify and defend orally and in writing apersonal opinion about such issues, problems or events

● Contribute to group exploratory class discussionsand take part in formal debates.

Developing skills of participation and responsible actionPupils should be taught to:● Use their imagination to consider other people's

experiences and be able to think about, express,explain and critically evaluate views that are nottheir own

● Negotiate, decide and take part responsibly inschool and community-based activities

● Reflect on the process of participating.

For further information on the Citizenshipcurriculum look at: www.nc.uk.net

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Introduction continued...

For your informationGuidance on Formal DebatesStudents should be encouraged to:● Listen to each other● Make sure that everyone has a chance to speak● Support each other and not put peers down● Be helpful and supportive when challenging

views● Remember that everyone has a right to pass if

they do not want to speak on an issue● Show appreciation when someone explains

something well.

Alternatively a debate can have a formal structurewith students taking on specific roles:● A Chair – to preside over the debate and ensure

everyone has a fair chance to speak and alsotime keep to ensure each speaker has the sameamount of time to present his/her case.

● Speakers – usually there are two speakersrepresenting each side of the debate but therecan be a speaker and one or more supportingspeakers for each side.

● A record keeper – to make notes on what isbeing discussed and the arguments being put forward.

● Audience – to put questions to the speakers.

In a formal structure the Chair proposes themotion in the following terms ‘This class believesthat there should be an increased driving age to21 years’. The Chair takes a vote on the issue.The Chair then introduces each speaker usuallywith the first speaker supporting the motion thenthe first speaker against and so on. Each speakeris allowed a set period of time, eg: five minutes.

At the conclusion of the speeches the Chairinvites contributions from the audience. It isusually a good idea to plan several questions inadvance in order to get the discussion going. TheChair controls the debate, deciding who is allowedto ask questions and ensures that the discussiondoes not exceed a certain period of time, eg: 10minutes.

If desired, each side can select one speaker to givea three minute summing up.The Chair then takes a second vote to see ifopinion has altered as a result of the argumentsput forward.2

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Discussion and debate is used throughout the resource. Enabling students to pose and define problemsand justify their opinions is an integral part of the Citizenship curriculum. It is left for the teacher todecide how these discussions and debates will be conducted and what the outcomes will be. Some ofthe student activities in the resource conclude with a class debate on the issue. There is guidance belowon formal debates, if required.

41 Discussion Points

Learning Objectives and Desired OutcomesIt is important to collaborate with students to establish and identify the learning objectives for the tasks usedfrom this resource. This must be done at the outset. Learning objectives cannot be prescribed as these willdepend on the individual use of the resource and the activities that teacher and students decide to engage in.The same will apply to desired outcomes, although some guidance is offered in relation to each student sheet.Again these need to be identified at the start of the work.

2 DfES: Citizenship: A Teacher’s Resource Pack to Support Active Citizenship in the Classroom and the Community. www.dfes.co.uk/citizenship

Introduction continued...

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1Speed

Teachers’ Notes

Background InformationDriving too fast for the conditions is a major cause ofcrashes. Excessive speed contributes to 12% of allinjury collisions, 18% of crashes resulting in a seriousinjury and 28% of all collisions which result in afatality. This means that around 1,000 people arekilled each year on Britain’s roads because driversand riders travel too fast.

Approximately two-thirds of all crashes in whichpeople are killed or injured happen on roads with aspeed limit of 30 mph or less. However, around 45%of fatal and serious road casualties, and 54% offatalities, occur on rural roads which have higherspeed limits.

At 30 mph vehicles are travelling at 44 feet (about 3car lengths) each second. One short glance away andthe driver may fail to see the tell-tale movement of achild behind a parked car. Even in good conditions,the difference in stopping distance between 30 mphand 35 mph is an extra 21 feet, more than 2 carlengths. At 35 mph a driver is twice as likely to killsomeone as they are at 30 mph.

● Hit by a car at 20 mph, 1 out of 40pedestrians will be killed. 97% will survive

● Hit by a car at 30 mph, 2 out of 10pedestrians will be killed. 80% will survive

● Hit by a car at 35 mph, 5 out of 10pedestrians will be killed. 50% will survive

● Hit by a car at 40 mph, 9 out of 10pedestrians will be killed. 10% will survive.

Unfortunately, most drivers exceed the speed limit atsome time. Over half (53%) of car drivers, 48% ofmotorcyclists and 49% of HGV drivers exceed the30mph speed limit in urban areas. On 40mph roads,over one quarter (27%) of car drivers and 36% ofmotorcyclists exceed the 40mph speed limit.

Reducing the average running speed of vehicles byjust 1 mph would reduce the number of accidents by5%. The greatest benefit would come from reducingthe speeds of the faster drivers.

Drivers who exceed speed limits are more likely to beinvolved in crashes. They are also more likely tocommit other road traffic offences such as closefollowing, red-light running, and drinking anddriving.

Learning OutcomesBy completing the activities and discussionsstudents should have a better understanding of therole of speed in road crashes, the reasons why driversspeed and the range of educational, engineering andenforcement methods adopted to persuade driversto use safe speeds. Students should have anawareness of the effects of speed on individuals andcommunities.

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Speed Student Sheet: Teachers’ Notes

gWhat do you think?● What speed limits apply and why? ● How do higher speeds make crashes more

likely and more severe?

The information needed here can be piecedtogether from a number of sources, many ofwhich are listed in Useful Links and UsefulPublications. The Highway Code shows speedlimits for different vehicles and different types ofroad. The leaflet ‘Know Your Speed Limits’(available from www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk) willalso be useful. The Department for Transportwebsite, www.dft.gov.uk, has several usefuldocuments – from the Home Page, click on RoadSafety and then ‘Speed Management’.

Drivers’ choice of speed is dependent on severalfactors – the characteristics of the road they areusing, their perception of whether they are likelyto get caught if they speed, their mood, whetherthey are in a rush and their individual attitudesabout speed. If left to themselves, every driverwould decide what speed they felt was safe atany given time. Drivers’ perception of what is asafe speed on a particular road will often differ tothat of pedestrians, pedal cyclists and horse ridersusing the road.

Drivers travelling at higher speeds have less timeto identify and react to what is happening aroundthem. It takes longer for the vehicle to stop. Anyresulting crash is more severe, causing greaterinjury to the occupants and to any pedestrian orrider hit by the vehicle.

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41 Discussion PointWhat determines stopping distances?The Highway Code shows stopping distances from various speeds between 20 mph and 70 mph.The overall stopping distance of a vehicle comprises the reaction (or thinking) time (during which thedriver realises s/he has to stop and transfers his or her foot to the brake pedal) and the braking distance(the distance covered before the brakes bring the vehicle to a complete stop). For example, a drivertravelling at 30 mph who decides s/he has to stop, will travel about 9 metres before they even begin tobrake. Their car will travel a further 14 metres before coming to a halt – a total of 23 metres from themoment the driver decides to stop.

This assumes a reaction speed of about 0.7 seconds. A less alert driver will take longer to react andtherefore cover more distance before even beginning to brake. Poor visibility means drivers may not seehazards early enough to slow down or stop safely. The braking distances in the Highway Code alsoassume a braking speed of about 6 metres a second (6m/s), but again this could be affected by poorlyadjusted brakes, worn tyres or the amount of pressure the driver puts on the brake pedal. The roadsurface is also critical. The stopping distances in the Highway Code are based on a dry road – on wet oricy roads, the braking distance is much greater.

How does speed affect other types of driving?Higher speeds mean there is less time to react if something happens, and it takes longer to stop. So, if adriver is too close to the vehicle in front and also driving too fast, there will be less time to react and stopif the vehicle in front brakes. A driver who is distracted (by using a mobile phone, for example) again hasless time to react if they are travelling too fast. Any crash will be more severe at higher speeds.

� ActivitiesFor a period (a week or a month) collect articlesfrom local and national newspapers about roadcrashes. Work out how many there were, howmany involved car drivers, pedestrians, cyclists,etc. How many involved speeding (eitherexceeding the limit or driving too fast for theconditions).

Produce a report showing your findings. Presentthis to other members of the group/class andhold a Question & Answer session with them.

Most newspapers have articles or shortparagraphs about road crashes, practically everyday. Try to avoid double-counting as the samecrashes will probably be reported in different

papers. Advise the students not to use people’snames from the press reports.

Why are rural roads so dangerous?The design of rural roads and the type, level andspeed of traffic they carry differs significantlyfrom urban roads. Due to the lower traffic flowon rural roads they seem safer than they actuallyare. But, the higher speeds and the twisty andhilly nature of many of the roads reduces thedistance that drivers can see ahead, giving themless time to react and resulting in more severeimpacts. An information sheet ‘Road Casualtieson Rural Roads’ is available at www.rospa.com/roadsafety/advice/highway/ruralroads

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� ActivitiesDesign a road engineering scheme toreduce traffic speeds in a local urban orrural area.

Ideas about different engineering schemes canbe found in the DfT’s Traffic Advisory Leafletsand its ‘Road Safety Good Practice Guide’.

Other sources include ‘Helping Drivers Not ToSpeed’ and other documents atwww.rospa.com/roadsafety (click on ‘Driving’

and then ‘Speed’). Information is also availableat www.dft.gov.uk (click on Road Safety andthen any of these links – ‘Speed Management’,‘Local Authority Guidance’, ‘Safety Cameras’ and‘Demonstration and Partnership Projects’).

The Road Safety Department of the LocalAuthority will be able to provide details ofengineering schemes in your area.

� ActivitiesFind out about safety cameras and writean article describing how they work,why they are needed and how effectivethey are.

There are strict rules about the use of safetycameras which are set out in ‘Handbook ofRules and Guidance for Safety Cameras2006/07’. This and reports about theeffectiveness of cameras can be found atwww.dft.gov.uk (click on ‘Road Safety’ and then‘Safety Cameras’).

Other information is available atwww.nationalsafetycameras.co.uk which shouldalso have a link to the website of the SafetyCamera Partnership for your locality.

A ‘Safety Cameras Factsheet’ is available atwww.rospa.com (click on ‘Road Safety’, then‘Driving’ then ‘Speed’).

A factsheet published by PACTS,‘Speed Cameras:10 Criticisms and Why They are Flawed’, exploressome of the myths about cameras. (Go towww.pacts.org.uk, click on ‘Policy’, then ‘Briefings

and Articles’, then ‘Speed Cameras: 10 Criticismsand Why They are Flawed’).

● What features of car design help drivers tocontrol their speed or encourage drivers to gotoo fast?

Issues to think about here are the vehicle’s topspeed and its acceleration power, the way carsare promoted and advertised and thedevelopment of new technology such as cruisecontrol, ABS and Brake Assist. Sources ofinformation are ‘Helping Drivers Not To Speed’and other documents at www.rospa.com/roadsafety (click on ‘Vehicle Safety’).

● Conduct a survey of the reasons drivers give for speeding.

This is best done by creating a simple question sheetwhich can be photocopied and handed to drivers tocomplete. There is no reason for respondents to beidentified. If possible, a minimum of 100 responsesshould be collected. The results can then be analysedto identify, for example, what percentage of driverssay they break speed limits when they are late. Theresults could then be illustrated in graphs and chartsto highlight the most and least common reasons forspeeding and whether there are differences betweendifferent types of driver.

● Design an awareness raising campaign to includea leaflet, poster and press release.

Looking at previous campaigns on websites such aswww.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk, www.road-safety.org.uk,www.larsoa.org.uk and www.brag.org.uk willprovide some inspiration for the students.

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� Activities continued...

The websites of individual car manufacturersand the Society of Motor Manufacturers andTraders, www.smmt.co.uk, might also be useful.

Design a new speedometer to give driversbetter information about their speed and towarn them if they are going too fast.

Speedometers must be positioned within thedriver’s field of vision, legible by day and nightand graduated in sets of 1, 2, 5 or 10 mph andkph. They are normally on the dashboard behind,or to the side of, the steering wheel so the driveronly has to glance down to read it. In recentyears, however, steering wheels have got

‘chunkier’ (to contain the driver’s airbag) and thespeedometer can be obscured, especially whenthe steering wheel is being turned duringmanoeuvres.

Suggestions for improving speedometer designare discussed in the RoSPA’s Policy Paper, ‘HelpingDrivers Not To Speed’ (available atwww.rospa.com/roadsafety – click on ‘Driving’and then ‘Speed’).

Again, it might also be useful to look at thewebsites of individual car manufacturers andthe Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders– www.smmt.co.uk

Speed continued...

eTake it further...

Organise a class debate on themotion “This class calls for allcars to be fitted with technologyto stop them exceeding thespeed limit”.

Details about Intelligent Speed Adaptation(ISA) can be found at the Institute of TransportStudies, University of Leeds, –www.its.leeds.ac.uk/projects/isa/ and in‘Helping Drivers Not To Speed’ and otherpapers at www.rospa.com/roadsafety (click on‘Driving’ and then ‘Speed’).

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Useful Links

RoSPAwww.rospa.com/speedwww.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk

Department for Transportwww.dft.gov.uk(click on road safety and then SpeedManagement or Safety Cameras)

Driving Standards Agency www.dsa.gov.uk (Click on ‘Drivers) www.ask-what-if.com

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agencywww.dvla.gov.uk (Click on ‘Driver Information’ and/or‘Vehicle Information’)

Road Safety Scotlandwww.road-safety.org.uk

Slower Speedswww.slower-speeds.org.uk

The Road Safety Department atyour local authority

National Safety Cameraswww.nationalsafetycameras.co.uk

Local Authority Road Safety OfficersAssociationwww.larsoa.org.uk

Transport Research Laboratorywww.trl.co.uk

Bexley Road Safety Action Groupwww.brag.org.uk

University of Leedswww.its.leeds.ac.uk/projects/isa/

Useful Publications

(If the direct links are not working,follow the instructions in brackets tofind the publications.)

Road Casualties GreatBritain: 2004(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on‘Transport Statistics’, then ‘Statistics’,then ‘Transport Accidents andCasualties’ and then ‘Road CasualtiesGreat Britain’.)

Transport Statistics Great Britain(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on‘Transport Statistics’, then ‘Statistics’,then ‘Transport Statistics for GreatBritain’.)

Road Safety Good Practice Guide(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Local Authority Guidance’,then ‘Road Safety Good PracticeGuide’.)

New Directions in Speed Management(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Speed Management’, then‘New Directions in SpeedManagement’.)

Handbook of Rules and Guidance forthe National Safety CameraProgramme(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Safety Cameras, then‘Handbook of Rule sand Guidance forthe National Safety CameraProgramme’.)

Speed Cameras: FAQs(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Safety Cameras’, then‘Speed Cameras: Frequently AskedQuestions’.

Speed Cameras: 10 Criticisms and WhyThey are Flawed(Go to www.pacts.org.uk, click on‘Policy’, then on ‘Briefings and Articles’,and then ‘Speed Cameras: 10 Criticismsand Why They are Flawed’.)

Speeds Cameras factsheet(Go to www.rospa.com, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Driving’, then ‘Speed’ andthen ‘Speed Cameras Factsheet’.)

The Highway Code(Go to www.highwaycode.gov.uk)

Traffic Advisory Leaflets(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘Roadsand Vehicles’, then ‘Traffic and ParkingManagement’, then ‘Traffic AdvisoryLeaflets’.)

Helping Drivers Not To Speed(Go to www.rospa.com, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Driving’, then ‘Speed’ andthen ‘Helping Drivers Not to Speed’.)

Speed: Know Your Limits(Go to www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk,click on Road Safety Campaigns, then‘Slow Down’, then ‘Printed Media’ andthen ‘Speed: Know Your Limits’.)

National Safety Camera Programme:Evaluation Report 2004(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Safety Cameras’, and then‘National Safety Camera ProgrammeEvaluation Report’.)

Driving for Work: Safer Speed Policy(Go to www.rospa.com, click on ‘Road,then ‘Free Road Safety Resources forEmployers’ and then ‘Driving for Work:Safer Speeds Policy’.)

l Useful Links and Publications

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2Car Crashes

Teachers’ Notes

Background informationCar crashes are complicated events. Most are causedby a combination of factors, including humanbehaviour, the road environment and the vehicle.These factors also determine the severity of thecrash.

Human error is a factor in 95% of all road accidents.It can take many forms:● Alcohol: Alcohol can have a devastating effect on

driving ability. It is the biggest single factor inroad deaths, especially among young people. Itadversely affects decision-making, self-criticism,balance, co-ordination, sight, touch, hearing andjudgement.

● Inexperience: With young people particularly, thiscan lead to mistakes, errors of judgement andirresponsible behaviour, especially driving too fast.

● Tiredness/illness: This reduces a road user’s abilityto cope with road conditions and situations.

● Other reasons: (children 0-15 years) include: Poorparental/adult supervision, small physical stature,stress or being upset, curiosity and taking risks,spirit of adventure, ignorance of the world and itsdangers, lack of knowledge and training, inabilityto judge speed and distance, lack of attention,being easily distracted. All of these can result inchildren dashing out into the road withoutlooking.

● Other reasons (Adults) include: Impatience, stress,carelessness, negligence, absentmindedness,irresponsible behaviour, inadequate knowledgeand training, ageing, drugs and medicines, ageneral disregard for personal health and safety.

Environmental problems (weather conditions, roadand junction design, and road surfaces) are a factorin around 18% of road accidents.Weather: rain can reduce visibility and make itharder to stop. Strong winds can be hazardous forcyclists.Road design: busy junctions which are fine for carsmay be dangerous for other road users.Road surface: pot holes, bumps and badlymaintained roads can cause problems, especially forcyclists. If the road surface is wet and slippery ittakes longer to stop when braking.

Vehicle Issues are a factor in 5.5% of road accidents.This is a relatively small factor because of annual‘M.O.T.’ tests to check vehicles’ road worthiness and

improved vehicle construction.Vehicle safety is now one of the top priorities ofmanufacturers, and the past 10 years have seen animprovement in the safety of modern vehicles.Vehicles have more efficient crumple zones andmore vehicles have airbags, which help to protectoccupants.

This process has been partly driven by consumerdemand. Organisations such as EuroNCAP publishcrash test results which encourage manufacturers togain better results than their competitors by settingsafety as a design priority. Currently EuroNCAP testsvehicles in many ways. Front and side impact testsexamine the occupants’ protection, and front impacttests evaluate the level of injury the bumper andbonnet will cause to a pedestrian who is struck bythe car. Recently, the organisation has examinedways of encouraging drivers to purchase vehiclesthat are less likely to be involved in an accident inthe first place, and has recommended ElectronicStability Programs.

Learning outcomesBy completing the activities and taking part in thediscussions, students should have a greaterunderstanding of how and why vehicles crash.The resource will consolidate students’ knowledge ofphysics and how it relates to the real world. They willlearn about the relationship between the human,vehicle and environment in a crash and that all threecan have an influence. The resource will also helpstudents to find out about vehicle technology, aswell as modern vehicle safety topics such aspedestrian protection.

As well as linking to the Citizenship syllabus, theCrashes Student Sheet also ties into Sc1 ScientificEnquiry and Sc4 Physical Processes.

Some of the mathematical exercises are moresuitable for students who are studying physics as aspecific topic. Other students may find theseexercises difficult. Group working could beencouraged so that students can discuss theproblems between them.

Appendix A provides a step-by-step breakdown ofthe exercises.

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Crashes Student Sheet: Teachers’ Notes

41 Discussion PointDraw a Haddon matrix grid to illustrate how human, environmental and vehicle factors cause crashes.

The Haddon matrix is a tool used to assess what factors play an influence in the run up to, during andafter a crash. Students should be allowed to use their skills of scientific evaluation to hypothesise whatsort of factors can play a part in a collision.

Examples of the sort of issues that the students could include in their Matrix are:

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PRE Crash During Crash POST Crash

Human Factors Driver’s trainingDriver’s experienceDriver’s attitudesDriver’s fitnessOther road user’sbehaviour

Seat belt use First aid knowledge Summoning emergencyservices

Road EnvironmentFactors

Road surfaceWeather, visibilityRoad signs, markingsBends

Roadside objects (eg,trees, crash barrier)

Ease of emergency vehicleaccess

Vehicle Factors Tyre conditionBrakes

Air bagsSeat beltsHead restraints

GPSTelematics

� Activities● Think of the factors that can affect the

stopping distance● Calculate the stopping distances in two

scenarios.

These activities tie in with Sc1 Scientific Enquiry 2k,2l, 2m, 2o and Sc4 Physical Processes 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.

The Stopping Distance is made up of theThinking Distance (the time it takes the driver toreact and apply the brakes) and the BrakingDistance (the time it takes the brakes to bringthe car to a halt).

Many things can distract drivers or impair theirreactions. For example, a driver who hasconsumed alcohol will react more slowly thanone who has not. Using a hand-held or hands-

free mobile phone while driving also significantlyincreases the time it takes a driver to react.

Vehicles can also affect the stopping distance,especially the braking distance. A vehicle whichdoes not have the correct tyre pressure will takelonger to stop. A tyre with a reduced tread depthwill have a greater stopping distance in the wet.

The road can influence the stopping distance inmany ways. A driver may be able to see moreand react quicker to hazards if the road is welldesigned. The road surface also determines howmuch grip the tyre has with the road, and poorlymaintained road surfaces, or road surfaces withlittle drainage, will also lengthen the brakingdistance, as does wet or icy road surfaces.

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� Activities continued...

Velocity-Time Graphs (v-t graphs)For detailed advice on completing the physicsexercises, see Appendix 1.

Students should use graph paper in order todraw the v-t graph. Velocity is on the y-axis(vertical) and time on the x-axis (horizontal).

A straight horizontal line means that an object istravelling at a constant speed over the length oftime shown.

As velocity is measured in metres per second(m/s) and time is measured in seconds (s), the

slope of the graph is m/s2 – acceleration. Forexample, counting 6.5m/s down the vertical axisand 1 second across the horizontal axis can plot adeceleration of 6.5m/s2. Joining this point to thestarting point of the slope will show thedeceleration.

The distance that an object has travelled ismeasured in metres. From the graph, distancecan be calculated by working out the areaunderneath the line.

� Activities● Find out how tyres are manufactured● Consider how tread depth affects stopping

distances.

The websites of tyre manufacturers (see UsefulLinks) and RoSPA’s Tyre Safety Factsheets willprovide the information needed for these activities.

� ActivitiesEnergyThe discussion about the forces on an occupantties in with Sc4 Physical Processes 2e, 2f, 2g.

● Calculate the amount of kinetic energy atdifferent speeds.

The equation that students will need to use inorder to calculate the kinetic energy of a movingbody is:

KE = 1/2 mv2

Where,KE is the Kinetic Energym is the mass of the vehiclev is the vehicle’s velocity

See Appendix 1 for more information.

41 Discussion Point● Find out about electronic braking systems.RoSPA’s Electronic Braking Systems Factsheets will provide the information needed for this activity.

After the Crash● Identify the costs to society from road crashes.

Much of the information needed for this is publishedin ‘Highways Economic Note 1 (HEN1)’ – see UsefulPublications.

● Write an article about vehicle safety andsustainability.

The information needed for this activity is containedin the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ 6thannual sustainability report, ‘TowardsSustainability’.

eTake it further...

15

Crashes continued...

�Use the online crash simulatorThe website www.thinkseatbelts.com has a crash simulator in which the students can see the likely effectson a car’s occupants of a crash at various speeds. Thenumber and type of occupants in the vehicle, and whetherthey are wearing seat belts can be varied, as can the speedof the crash.

Activities continued...

�Pedestrian ProtectionThis section of the resource allows students toplan an experiment and ties in with Sc1 ScientificEnquiry, Investigative skills – 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e.

The design of the front of a vehicle has a majorinfluence on the severity of injury caused to anypedestrian that it hits. Vehicle manufacturers aredealing more and more with this issue due tolegislation.

Students should apply the methodology learntfrom scientific investigations to design and write

up an experiment to test the front of a vehicle tofind out what level of injury it is likely to cause.Students are not expected to relate theexperiment to the risk of injury, but to developrepeatable processes and to consider whatpoints of the car bonnet and bumper they wouldtest.

RoSPA’s Pedestrian Protection Fact sheets willprovide information on this topic. Go towww.rospa.com/roadsafety and click on ‘Vehicle Safety’ and then ‘Pedestrian Protection’.

Activities

Activities● Organise a class debate on the motion “This class believes that cars should drive themselves”.

Guidance on organising debates is given in ‘Teacher’s Notes: Introduction’. Information aboutdevelopments in this type of vehicle technology can be found from the Useful Links and UsefulPublications below.

16

Crashes continued...

Useful Links

Department for Transportwww.dft.gov.uk(Click on ‘Road Safety’ and/or ‘Roadsand Vehicles’ and then ‘Vehicles’)

Transport Research Laboratorywww.trl.co.uk

RoSPAwww.rospa.com/roadsafety

Institute of Transport Studieswww.its.leeds.ac.uk/index.htm

Vehicle Safety Research Centrewww.lboro.ac.uk/research/esri/vsrc/index-std.htm

European New Car AssessmentProgrammewww.euroncap.com/

Think Seat Beltswww.thinkseatbelts.com/launch.html

Tyre Manufacturerswww.bridgestone-eu.comwww.driveradviser.com/www.conti-online.co.ukwww.dunloptryes.co.ukwww.goodyear.co.ukwww.michelin.co.ukwww.pirelli.co.uk

Thatcham, the Motor Insurance RepairResearch Centrewww.thatcham.org/

Useful Publications

(If the direct links are not working,follow the instructions in brackets tofind the publications.)

Road Casualties Great Britain: 2004(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on‘Transport Statistics’, then ‘Statistics’,then ‘Transport Accidents andCasualties’ and then ‘Road CasualtiesGreat Britain’.)

Highways Economic Note 1 (HEN1)(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Economic Assessment’,then ‘Highways Economics Notes No. 1’.)

RoSPA Vehicle Safety Factsheets(Go to www.rospa.com, click on ‘Road’,then ‘Motor Vehicle Safety’.)

House of Commons: TransportCommittee‘Cars of the Future’ Report‘Cars of the Future’ Evidence(Go to www.parliament.uk, click on‘Committees’ on the left, then‘Transport Committee’ (use the A-Zlinks), then ‘Reports and Publications’on the left, then select the 2003-04session. Scroll down to ‘Cars of theFuture’.)

Government Response to the Cars of the Future Report(Go to www.parliament.uk, click on‘Committees’ on the left, then‘Transport Committee’ (use the A-Zlinks), then ‘Reports and Publications’on the left, then select the 2004-05session. Scroll down to ‘GovernmentResponse to the Seventeenth Report ofthe Committee: Cars of the Future’.)

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders – 6th annual sustainability report(Go to www.smmt.co.uk, click on‘publications’ and select ‘environment’.Scroll down to ‘Towards Sustainability –6th annual report’. Click on the titleand then choose ‘download report’ inthe pop up window.)

The Highway Code(Go to www.highwaycode.gov.uk)

Speed: Know Your Limits(Go to www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk,click on Road Safety Campaigns, then‘Slow Down’, then ‘Printed Media’ andthen ‘Speed: Know Your Limits’.)

l Useful Links and Publications

17

Crashes – Appendix 1

How to do the physics activitiesActivity 1

a. The driver takes 1.2 seconds to apply the brakes;the distance that the car travels in this time is thethinking distance

The speed is 40mph, which is 17.78 m/s

Distance travelled can be worked out by multiplying the speed by the time.

Thinking distance = speed of the vehicle x time

Therefore,Thinking distance = 17.78 metres per second (m/s) x 1.2 seconds (s) Thinking distance = 21.33 metres

The distance remaining will be the initial distanceminus the distance that the car travelled.

Distance remaining = 30 metres – 21.33 metres

Distance remaining = 8.67 metres

b. Draw a v-t graph of the thinking distance andbraking distance if the car decelerates at 6.5m/s2

See Graph 1

The graph is shown in the Student Sheet to helpthem when drawing it. A common problem maybe getting the slope of the deceleration correct.

To show a deceleration of 6.5 m/s2 - the graphneeds to show a decrease in speed of 6.5m/severy second along the x axis.

So, from the point at the end of the thinking time(point a) a student needs to mark a 2nd point(point b), one second across the x-axis, and 6.5m/sdown the y-axis. By joining these two points andcontinuing the line to where it intersects the x-axis, the pupil will have shown the vehicledecelerating at a constant rate of 6.5m/s2.

c. The area underneath the slope of the graph is thebraking distance. Multiplying the length of thehorizontal and vertical sides, and then dividingthe number by 2 will give the area of thetriangle

In this scenario, the vehicle starts braking at 1.2seconds and comes to rest after 3.9 seconds(which is where the line of the graph has avelocity of 0 and touches the x axis).

This means that the vehicle is braking for 2.7seconds, which is the base of the triangle. Theheight of the triangle is 17.78 metres per second.

Braking Distance = (2.7 x 17.78)/2

This gives the braking distance of 24 metres.

d. Stopping Distance = Thinking Distance + Braking Distance

Therefore,Stopping distance = 21.33 m + 24 mStopping distance = 45.33 m

The driver was unable to stop in time, and hit the15-year old.

The stopping distance that the students havecalculated is longer that the typical stoppingdistances in the Highway Code. This is because thedriver was impaired by alcohol and took longer tobrake.

If the driver had not been impaired, his stoppingdistance would have been more like 36 metres, asillustrated in the Highway Code. The driver wouldhave still hit the child due to his excessive speed.

e. Calculate the speed at which the car is travellingwhen it hits the pedestrian

Students can use the equation v2 = u2 +2as,

u = initial speed = 17.78 m/s

v = final speed = ?

a = acceleration = -6.5 m/s2

(this is a negative figure as the vehicle isdecelerating, not accelerating)

s = distance travelled = 8.67m

(this is the distance between the point at whichthe car starts to brake and the 15 year old).

v2 = u2 + 2as

Substituting the numbers which we know

v2 = (17.78)2 + (2)(-6.5)(8.67)

v2 = (17.78)2 + (-112.67)

v2 = (316) + (-112.67)

v2 = 316 – 112.67

v2 = 203.3

Taking the square root of both sides of theequation leaves us with -

v = √203.3

v = 14m/s

14m/s = 50.4 kmph = 31 miles per hour

If the car is travelling at just over 30 mph when ithits the pedestrian, knowing that:

● Hit by a car at 20 mph, 1 out of 40 pedestrian will be killed

● Hit by a car at 30 mph, 2 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed

● Hit by a car at 35 mph, 5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed

● Hit by a car at 40 mph, 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed.

The 15 year old has a 20% chance of being killed.

f. How long does it take the car to reach the 15 year old ?

If the car is travelling at 14m/s when it hits the 15year old, then look up a velocity of 14m/s on the y-axis of your v-t graph, trace this across until itintersects the sloping line. Then trace down fromthis point to the x-axis to find the time.

It only takes 1.8 seconds for the car to hit the 15 year old.

Activity 2

a. The driver takes 0.7 seconds to apply the brakes

The speed is 30mph, which is 13.41 m/s

Thinking distance = speed of the vehicle x time

Therefore,Thinking distance = 13.41 m/s x 0.7 s Thinking distance = 9.39 metres

b. Draw a v-t graph of the thinking distance &braking distance if the car decelerates at 6.5m/s2

See Graph 2

The student’s graph should look like Graph 2

Again, the braking distance can be calculated byworking out the area under the graph.

In this scenario, the vehicle starts braking at 0.7seconds and comes to rest after 2.75 seconds(which is where the line of the graph has avelocity of 0 and touches the x axis).

This means that the vehicle is braking for 2.05seconds, which is the base of the triangle. Theheight of the triangle is 13.41 metres per second.

Braking Distance = (2.05 x 13.41)/2

The Braking Distance is 13.74 metres

c. Stopping Distance = Thinking Distance + BrakingDistance

Therefore,Stopping distance = 9.39 m + 13.74 mStopping distance = 23.27 m

The driver was able to stop in time.

d. Work out the distances in car lengths

18

Crashes – Appendix 1 continued...

19

Activity 1 Thinking Distance = 21.33 m = 5 car lengths

Braking Distance = 24 m = 6 car lengths

Stopping Distance = 45.33 m = 11 car lengths

Activity 2 Thinking Distance = 9.39 m = 2.5 car lengths

Braking Distance = 13.83m = 3.5 car lengths

Stopping Distance = 23.22m = 6 car lengths

Activity 3

● Work out the Kinetic Energy at each of thespeeds

Kinetic Energy (KE) = 1/2 (mass) (velocity)2

In order to complete the equation, students need toconvert miles per hour into a kilometres per hour,and then work out the distance travelled persecond.

This is how to do it:

Firstly a student will need to convert miles intokilometres. The conversion ratio is 1 mile = 1.6093kilometres.

Then, in order to covert kilometres into metres,they need to multiply this figure by 1000.

Finally, to convert this figure, which is metrestravelled per hour, into metres per second, theyneed to divide the number by 3600 (which is thenumber of seconds in 1 hour).

E.g. 30 mph x 1.6093 = 48.279 kmph

48.279 kmph x 1000 = 48,279 metres per hour

48,279 metres per hour / 3600 = 13.4 m/s

a. 20mph = 8.94 m/s

KE = 1/2 (1000) (8.94)2

KE = (500) (8.94)2

KE = (500)(79.92)

KE = 39,951 J = 39.95 kJ

40mph = 17.78 m/s

KE = 1/2 (1000) (17.78)2

KE = 158,024 J = 158.02 kJ

b. 30mph = 13.41 m/s

KE = 1/2 (1000) (13.41)2

KE = 89,914 J = 89.91 kJ

15mph = 6.70 m/s

KE = 1/2 (1000) (6.70)2

KE = 22,473 J = 22.47 kJ

10mph = 4.47 m/s

KE = 1/2 (1000) (4.47)2

KE = 9,992 J = 10.00 kJ

See Graph 3

Crashes – Appendix 1 continued...

20

Crashes – Appendix 1 (Graphs)

Graph 1

Graph 2

Graph 3

21

3Motorcycling

Teachers’ Notes

Background InformationMany young people are fascinated by motorcycles.This interest offers the opportunity to get across tothem safe principles of road use in a way they enjoy.

In 2003, in Great Britain 2.7% of households owned amotorcycle, the majority of them also owned one ormore cars. The highest ownership rate is in theSouth West of England and the lowest in Scotland.There are around 1.52 million motorcycles in GreatBritain1. The legal definition of a motorcycle is a twowheeled vehicle that is not a moped whose ridermust be 17 or over. Mopeds, which are restricted to50cc and have a maximum speed of 50km (31 miles)per hour, can be legally ridden by 16 year olds.

The increase in motorcycle popularity has seen anincrease in motorcycle casualties. Between 1993 and2003 motorcycle traffic grew by 49%1 compared toan increase of 19% for other road traffic2. Details ofthe legal requirements can be found atwww.helpingldrivers.com/riders/legal.htm. Whilethere has been a great deal of publicity given to theincrease in leisure motorcycling and the use ofsports bikes in particular, it should be noted that63% of motorcycle trips were for work, business orleisure, compared to 30% for cars4.

It is important that all the factors are put in place tomake the motorcycling experience as safe and asenjoyable as possible. Riders require roads which aredesigned to meet the needs of single-track vehicles

and are well maintained with drivers who areexpecting their presence. They need a machine thatmeets their needs and offers the safest technology.Motorcycle education and training must be sold toriders as a lifetime’s activity rather than a one offevent and protective equipment and clothing shouldbe light, comfortable and make full use of thetechnology of the 21st century. But above all, theseitems should be fully compatible with each other.They should not be designed and developed inisolation.

Learning OutcomesBy completing the activities and discussionsstudents should have a better understanding of the role of motorcycling and the risks involved,the reasons for motorcyclist crashes and casualtiesand ways of preventing them or reducing theirseverity. Students should gain knowledge of theresponsibilities of drivers to be aware of motorcyclists.

22

Motorcycling Student Sheet: Teachers’ Notes

�● Analyse the numbers and types of

motorcyclist casualties locally and nationally

● Design a road safety publicity campaignbased on the findings.

‘Road Casualties Great Britain: 2004’ and the ‘In-depth Study of Motorcycle Accidentsreports, both published by theDepartment for Transport provide extensive

details of the numbers of road crashes, andwhen and where they happen (see UsefulPublications). Local data should be available formthe Road Safety Unit of the Local Authority.

It might also be useful to look at motorcyclingsafety publicity campaigns atwww.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk, on the localauthority website and on some of the Useful Links.

Activities

41Discussion Point● What are the advantages and disadvantages

of motorcycling?

The information needed here is available from anumber of sources, principally The Government’sMotorcycling Strategy and The Advisory Groupon Motorcycling: Final Report.

1 Transport Statistics Bulletin – Compendium of Motorcycling Statistics.2 Transport Statistics Bulletin – Road Traffic Statistics: 2003 (DfT 2004).4 IHIE Guidelines for Motorcycling April 2005.

23

Motorcycling continued...

41 Discussion Point● What effects has the Congestion Charge in London had on motorcycling in the capital?Reports on motorcycling in London are available at www.tfl.gov.uk/streets.

�Design a motorcycleThere are numerous websites ofmanufacturers showing details of designfeatures of different types of motorcycle. Thisactivity is less concerned with what the bikelooks like, but the type of featuresthat the students specify.Motorcycle design issues arealso discussed in TheGovernment’s MotorcyclingStrategy.

Activities �Design an item of motorcyclistprotective clothingA simple internet search will produce manywebsites providing details of protectiveclothing for motorcyclists. Again, the activityis less concerned with the ‘look’ ofthe garment (although itsconspicuity is important)and more with its purpose,the materials from which itis made, and its ease of use.

Activities

�● Consider the arguments for and against a

range of possible measures that could beintroduced to improve motorcyclist safety.

Again, The Government’s Motorcycling Strategyand the Advisory Group on Motorcycling’sReport (see Useful Publications) will be useful.

Activities

�● Complete the online Motorcycle Theory Tests

and design ones of your own● Design a Theory Test or Quiz about

motorcyclists for learner drivers.

The Highway Code provides useful backgroundmaterial in preparing for the Theory Tests anddesigning new ones. The mock theory tests can

be found at www.dsa.gov.uk/mockpaper/theoryintro.htm

Design a leaflet for new motorcyclists abouttheir legal responsibilities.

All the information needed is available atwww.dvla.gov.uk and in the Highway Code.

Activities

24

Useful Links

Teachers should note that some of themotorcycling websites are designed toappeal to adult male motorcycleenthusiasts.

RoSPAwww.rospa.com (Click on ‘road safety’, then‘Motorcycling’.)www.rospa.com/drivertrainingwww.roada.org

Department for Transportwww.dft.gov.uk(Click on ‘Road Safety’, then ‘Driver andRider Safety’, then ‘Cyclists andMotorcyclists’. )

Driving Standards Agency www.dsa.gov.uk (Click on ‘Bike Riders’) www.ask-what-if.com (Click on ‘WhatIf? For Motorcyclists’.)

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agencywww.dvla.gov.uk (Click on ‘Driver Information’ and/or‘Vehicle Information’.)

Road Safety Scotlandwww.road-safety.org.uk (Click on ‘RoadUsers’, then ‘Motorcyclists’.)

Pass Plus Schemewww.passplus.org.uk

Handle It or Lose Itwww.handleitorloseit.com

The Road Safety Department at yourlocal authority

British Motorcyclists Federationwww.bmf.co.uk

Motorcycle Action Groupwww.mag-uk.org

Motor Cycle Industry Associationwww.mcia.co.uk

Motorcycle Retailers Association

Motorcycle Rider Training Associationwww.rmif.co.uk

Bikesafewww.bikesafe.co.uk

National Motorcycle Councilwww.despatch.co.uk/nmc/nmchome.htm

Twist and Go 4 Itwww.twistandgo4it.com

Useful Publications

(If the direct links are not working,follow the instructions in brackets tofind the publications.)

‘Road Casualties Great Britain: 2004’(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on‘Transport Statistics’, then ‘Statistics,then ‘Transport Accidents andCasualties’ and then ‘Road CasualtiesGreat Britain’.)

Compendium of MotorcyclingStatistics(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on‘Transport Statistics’, then ‘Statistics,then ‘Vehicles’, then ‘Publications’ andthen ‘Compendium of MotorcyclingStatistics’.)

The Older Motorcyclist(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Research’, then ‘RoadSafety Research Reports, then ‘Driverand Rider Behaviour', and then ‘The Older Motorcyclist’.)

Differences Between LondonMotorcyclists and Those From the Rest of the UK(Go to www.tfl.gov.uk/streets and clickon ‘Initiatives and Projects’, then ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Report Library’ and then‘Differences Between LondonMotorcyclists and Those From the Restof the UK’.)

Motorcyclist Accidents and Casualtiesin Scotland 1992 – 2002(Go to www.road-safety.org.uk andclick on ‘Research’ and then ‘CompletedResearch’ and then ‘MotorcyclistAccidents and Casualties in Scotland’.)

The Highway Code(Go to www.highwaycode.gov.uk)

The Government’s Motorcycling Strategy(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘Roadsand Vehicles’, then ‘Vehicles’, then‘Motorcycling’ and then ‘TheGovernment’s Motorcycling Strategy’.)

In-depth Study of Motorcycle Accidents(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Research’, then ‘RoadSafety Research Reports’, then‘Statistical Analysis, Accident Causationand Policy Monitoring’ and then ‘In-depth Study of Motorcycle Accidents’.)

Scoping Study on Motorcycle Training(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Research’, then ‘RoadSafety Research Reports, then ‘Driverand Rider Behaviour’ and then ‘ScopingStudy on Motorcycle Training’.)

Powered Two Wheeler Casualties inGreater London(Go to www.tfl.gov.uk/streets and clickon ‘Initiatives and Projects’, then ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Report Library’ and then‘Powered Two Wheeler Casualties inGreater London’.)

Common Motorcyclist Crashes andHow To Avoid Them www.rospa.com/roadsafety/ridesafe

Advisory Group on Motorcycling Final Report(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on ‘RoadSafety’, then ‘Cycling and Motorcycling’and then ‘Driver and Rider Safety’Advisory Group on Motorcycling Final Report’.)

l Useful Links and Publications

Motorcycling continued...

25

4Starting Work

and Work Experience

Teachers’ Notes

Background InformationYoung people are more likely to be in paidemployment now than they were 50 years ago.

Starting work or work experience can be a daunting,as well as an exciting experience. It presents avariety of new risks, including road risks whentravelling to a new place of employment or usingthe road while at work, as well as health and safetyrisks in the workplace.

Between 1996 and 2001, 54 young people (under 18years old) were killed in the workplace and therewere 12,599 serious injuries to young workersinvolving broken limbs, amputations and seriousburns. The TUC estimate that 10 young workers areseriously injured at work every week. These figuresdo not include any deaths or injuries to youngpeople on the road during the course of their workor travelling to or from work.

The LawHealth and safety law requires employers, so far asreasonably practicable, to ensure the health, safetyand welfare of their employees while at work, aswell as other people (e.g., members of the public)who might be affected by the organisation’sactivities.

There are extra rules for employing young people(under 18 years of age). Young people are at extra riskin the work environment because it is likely to be anovel environment, hazards will be unfamiliar, andthey may lack the attitudes, experience, skills andtrained judgement to stay safe.

Employers must assess the risks before youngpeople start work or work experience, and take intoaccount other factors such as their physical ormental immaturity and the need for additionalsupervision. Employers must put in place anyadditional measures needed to control the risks andlet the parents/guardians of students (andemployees) below minimum school leaving ageknow the key findings of the risk assessment andthe control measures taken before the young peoplestart work.

Employers have the same legal duty to protectstudents on work experience as they do to protecttheir employed staff.

Employees have legal duties too. They must behaveresponsibly and co-operate with any health andsafety measures set by their employer.

Employers under LSC funded schemes will have toundergo a health and safety assessment by theirtraining provider before a trainee can start work.

The DfES publish ‘Work Experience: A Guide forSecondary Schools’ which is available fromhttp://publications.teachernet.gov.uk

The HSE publish ‘Young People at Work: A Guide forEmployers’ (HSG 165) which costs £7.95 from HSEBooks. ‘The Right Start. Work Experience for YoungPeople: Health and Safety Basics for Employers’(INDG 364 ) is available free from www.hse.gov.uk

LSC also publish guidance as part of their ‘SafeLearner Framework’.

Health and safety law applies to any on-road workactivities. Further details are available in the HSEGuide,‘Driving for Work’ (INDG 382),www.rospa.com/roadsafety/morr/index.htm andwww.orsa.org.uk.

The evening and morning rush hours are the peakperiods for road crashes. In 2004, 289 people aged 16– 18 years were killed on the road (but notnecessarily on their way to or from, or at, work).

Learning OutcomesBy completing the activities and discussionsstudents should have a better understanding of therisks they will face when travelling to a new place ofwork or work experience, and methods of reducingthose risks. They should also have a betterunderstanding of the risks involved when using theroad to carry out work tasks. Students should havean awareness of their employer’s legalresponsibilities, as well as their own duties to behaveresponsibly.

26

Starting Work Student Sheet:Teachers’ Notes

27

Starting Work continued...

41 Discussion Point● What things make young people more likely to be hurt while at work than older people?

New workers have the highest risk of injury for many reasons:● lack of experience● lack of health and safety awareness● reluctance to ask questions or express concerns● eagerness to please or give a good impression● lack of training for the tasks they are doing● eagerness to keep up with more experienced staff● difficulties in communicating effectively with adults● physical mis-match between them and the job they are doing, equipment they are using or

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they’ve been given● change jobs more often.

A good exploration of these issues can be found in ‘A Review of Young People’s Attitudes to Healthand Safety’, available free from the HSE website.

�● Create a checklist of things to consider when

planning how you are going to get to a newplace of work or work experience.

www.youngworkers.co.uk is a good place to startfor this activity.

Compare casualty rates for different forms oftransport.

‘Road Casualties Great Britain 2004’ is an annualreport published by the Department forTransport which provides the numbers of roadcrashes, and details of how, when and wherethey occur. They also publish ‘Transport StatisticsGreat Britain’ annually which provides details ofother forms of transport such as rail and air.

RoSPA’s Paper ‘Single/Double Summer Time’discusses the advantages and disadvantages ofchanging Britain’s current system oftimekeeping so that there would be lighterevenings during the Autumn and Winter.

● Create a scenario in which a young personwho has just started a new job or workexperience is injured on the road while doingtheir job.

Suggestions for scenarios are given, althoughthere is no reason why the students should notuse ones of their own devising. Ideally, thescenario should include circumstances in whicha young worker was hurt on the road whiledoing their job. The chain of events leading tothe accident should involve the young personbeing asked to do something for which they arenot experienced or in a manner which could leadto unsafe behaviour.

Continued >>>

Activities

�● Do a survey of young people’s feelings when

starting work or work experience● What are your legal responsibilities for health

and safety as an employee or work experiencestudent?

Again, www.youngworker.co.uk will help withthese activities.

● Prepare a briefing for new works on roadsafety issues at work.

The HSE Guide,‘Driving for Work’, and thevarious documents at www.hse.gov.uk/

roadsafety and www.rospa.com/roadsafety/morr/index.htm will provide most of theinformation needed.

● How many jobs involve driving, riding, cycling,working on foot on or near the road?

The list is probably endless. Few companies canoperate without using the road. Even staff whoare mostly office based often have to drive tomeetings.

Activities Continued >>>

�● Do a risk assessment for sales reps who

spend much of their time driving to salesappointments.

This does not have to be in any particularformat. The students should simply identify risksfaced by someone who drives a lot for work,such as falling asleep at the wheel, exceedingspeed limits because journey schedules are too

tight, etc and then consider how these risks canbe addressed.

Again, the HSE Guide,‘Driving for Work’, and thevarious documents at www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety and www.rospa.com/roadsafety/morr/index.htm will provide most of theinformation needed.

Activities

�● Consider whether a long drive to an all day

meeting and then a long drive back home is safe.

‘Driving for Work: Safer Journey Planner’ includesthe issues that need to be considered for thisactivity.

● Plan a safe journey between (say) Holyheadand Ipswich.

Transport Direct is a good on-line route plannerthat can be used to plan journeys between twopoints. Again,’Driving for Work: Safer JourneyPlanner’ will be useful.

Activities

28

Starting Work continued...

29

41 Discussion Point● Draw a table illustrating the costs and benefits of employers managing their

occupational road risk.

Few organisations know what road accidents involving their staff cost them. The true costs arenearly always higher than the resulting insurance claims. HSE research into workplace accidentsgenerally suggests that, for every £1 recovered through insurance, between £8 and £36 may be lostvia uninsured costs.

Many costs (such as lost time in wages and salaries; lost orders and output; administrative costs,legal fees, business interruption) may not be recoverable. Road accidents also have a negativeimpact on staff morale and can damage the organisation’s image in the outside world.

Investing resources to reduce the risk of staff being involved in a road accident while at work cansave an organisation much more than the investment.

More details of this issue can be found on the Occupational Road Safety Alliance website,www.orsa.org.uk

41 Discussion Point● If one of your drivers had an accident, what data would you collect?

If a member of staff is involved in a road crash while at work, it is important for the employer toidentify what happened, including the immediate causes (e.g., the driver was using a mobilephone) and the underlying causes (e.g., the driver’s schedule was unrealistic and s/he wasexpected to be in contact while driving). The information the employer should gather includesdetails of when and where the accident occurred, who was involved, details of the vehicle thatwas involved, any injuries or damage, details of the work reasons for the journey, its start and finish times, and length, and also details of the driver’s training, fitness and accident record.

The Initial Status Review Questionnaire in the rear of ‘ManagingOccupational Road Risk in Voluntary Organisations’ on RoSPA’s website (the questions are relevant for any organisation and theother documents at www.rospa.com/roadsafety/resources/employers.htm will be useful).

The information gathered can be used to identify why theaccident happened, whether any of the organisation’s workingpractices and policies contributed to it and what action should betaken to prevent a similar occurrence.

Starting Work continued...

30

Useful Links

RoSPAwww.rospa.com/roadsafetywww.rospa.com/roadsafety/morr/index.htm

Department for Transportwww.dft.gov.uk (Click on ‘Road Safety’)

Health and Safety Executivewww.hse.gov.ukwww.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety

EuroRapwww.eurorap.org

Occupational Road Safety Alliancewww.orsa.org.uk

Young Workerwww.youngworker.co.uk/

Trades Union Congresswww.tuc.org.uk

Department for Education and Skillswww.dfes.gov.uk

Transport Directwww.transportdirect.info

Suzy Lamplugh Trustwww.suzylamplughtrust.org

Learning and Skills Council www.lsc.gov.uk

The Road Safety Department atyour local authority

Useful Publications

Road Casualties Great Britain 2004(Go to www.dft.gov.uk, click on‘Transport Statistics’, then ‘Statistics’,then ‘Transport Accidents andCasualties’ and then ‘Road CasualtiesGreat Britain’.)

Driving at Work(Go to www.hse.gov.uk, in the ‘Health& Safety Topics’ search box, pick ‘RoadSafety (work related)’ and click ‘Go’,then click ‘Driving at work – Managingwork-related road safety’.)

A Review of Young People’s Attitudesto Health and Safety(Go to www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl/index.htm, and click on‘Behavioural and Social Science’, then ‘AReview of Young People’s Attitudes toHealth and Safety’.)

Single/Double Summer Time(Go to www.rospa.com, click on ‘Road’,then ‘Advice and Information’ then‘General Road Safety’ and then ‘BritishSummertime Paper’.)

The Highway Code(Go to www.highwaycode.gov.uk)

Driving for Work: Safer Journey Planner(Go to www.rospa.com, click on ‘Road’,then ‘Free Road Safety Resources forEmployers’ and then ‘Driving for Work:Safer Journey Planner’.)

The Right Start. Work Experience forYoung People: Health and Safety Basicsfor Employers (INDG 364 )(Go to www.hse.gov.uk, and click on‘Publications’, then ‘Free Leaflets’, then‘Young People’, and then ‘The RightStart. Work Experience for YoungPeople’.)

Guidance for Employers: Supervisingthe Safe Learner(Go to www.lsc.gov.uk, click on‘Documents’, then ‘Subject Listing’,then ‘Improving Quality’, then‘Guidance and Good Practice’, then‘Health and Safety’ and finally ‘LearnerHealth and Safety: Guidance forEmployers and Providers’.)

l Useful Links and Publications

Starting Work continued...

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