RAC announces new road safety partnership with The Scout Association
Horace mascot to front new campaign designed to reach every UK Beaver, Cub, Scout and Explorer
Road Safety Minister launches partnership by recreating Beatles album cover on Abbey Road crossing
The RAC’s road safety charity and The Scout Association has announced a three year partnership to promote road safety to over half a million Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts and Explorer Scouts across the UK.
The partnership will combine the RAC’s existing road safety campaign with the Scouts’ own programme to engage with its young people on staying safe on the roads. A major element will be the RAC’s sponsorship of the Cub Scouts’ Road Safety activity badge, but beyond this the motoring organisation will be working with Scouts of all ages to inspire and equip them with the skills to develop as responsible and safe road users.
Over the next three years hundreds of RAC patrols will visit local Scout Groups across the UK to help deliver workshops, with mascot Horace helping to teach young people about road safety in a lively and engaging way. This learning will evolve as the partnership develops, and will begin with a campaign for young people to ‘Be bright, Be seen’ following the end of British Summer Time. Other messages will include how to keep ‘road smart’ in the 21st century, the Highway Code, and in-car safety.
The young people will also benefit from the creation this month of the RAC’s Road Safety Awareness Charity.* This will raise funds to promote road safety nationally, with the aim of giving every Cub Scout a high-visibility vest by 2018. It will also see RAC staff attend national Scouting events, with interactive experiences to promote the campaign.
As the motorist’s champion, the RAC is committed to improving road safety and to reducing the number of children and young people injured and even killed on our roads each year. Regrettably in 2014 2,082 children were killed (53, up 10.4% on 2013) or seriously injured (2,029, up 5% on 2013) on UK roads – ending a near thirty-year run of decline in child and young person road casualties.
RAC road safety champion Jacqui Thompson said: “This a fantastic opportunity to engage and work with young people across the UK to raise awareness of road safety and to equip them with the skills to be road smart and develop as responsible and safe road users. Together with The Scout Association and the Department for Transport’s THINK! Campaign, we can reach drivers and other road users too with responsible and safe driving messages – and bring the number of children killed on UK roads to zero.”
Hannah Kentish, the UK Scouting Youth Commissioner has welcomed the partnership. She said “Scouting changes lives by offering young people fun and challenging activities, unique experiences, everyday adventure and the chance to help others so that we make a positive impact in communities. We are therefore delighted that Scouting has teamed up with the RAC to empower more young people to stay safe when they are near roads.”
Road safety minister Andrew Jones MP joined Horace and Cubs from the 8th Marylebone Scout Pack on the famous Abbey Road zebra crossing. He said: “Road safety skills are vital in keeping all road users, both young and old, safe and I welcome the new partnership between the RAC and The Scout Association. Everyone should know the rules of the road and the new road safety badge is a great step towards getting young people interested in helping themselves, and others, stay safe.”
