Pupils at Tinwald School are the first Canterbury and West Coast kids to receive bicycle lights that will help them stay safe and seen as part of a new initiative.
Five hundred light sets, which include front and rear units, have been donated to schools through a partnership between the Automobile Association’s Canterbury/ West Coast District Council and Davis Ogilvie & Partners
– Engineers, Surveyors and Planners, to promote safer cycling in the community. The initiative is called Be Safe, Be Seen.
Tinwald School principal Peter Livingstone says it is good timing for the arrival of the lights as Tinwald Corridor improvements on State Highway 1 will likely funnel more traffic into the school’s vicinity in the future. He said the school community was very appreciative of the donation.
“Children can be unpredictable, and this initiative gives motorists more opportunities to see children on our roads.
“Tinwald School is very pleased to be part of an initiative that promotes child safety and raises awareness of cyclists.”
Canterbury AA District Council chairman John Skevington was pleased to be helping young cyclists stay safe while out and about.
“We want these lights to make the kids more visible to other road users, giving everyone more time to react before potentially dangerous situations unfold.
“Hopefully it will get the students thinking about safety. Learning about road safety is a lifelong journey – it’s not just about being vigilant while driving but applies to other forms of transport, too. There is no better place to start creating awareness than in schools.”
Elliot Duke, a director at Davis Ogilvie, said the firm was thrilled to be involved in the project.
“As keen cyclists ourselves we believe that cycle safety should be everyone’s top priority. This is a fantastic initiative in helping to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries and encourage students to be seen when riding their bikes to and from school.”
The AA and Davis Ogilvie have partnered with the Police who will distribute 500 sets of lights to schools around Canterbury and the West Coast.
John was hopeful more lights could be given out to students under the Be Safe, Be Seen initiative in the future.
