No texting, no toddling, kids tell drivers

Children know their road safety basics – it’s adults who sometimes forget. Police’s latest ambassadors may be young, but they’re full of good advice on how New Zealanders can be kept safe on our roads.

Youngsters from two Wellington primary schools were videoed talking about things that made them feel unsafe when they’re on the road, and how they think grown-up drivers can do better.  

They were bang on the nail with their messages – don’t speed, keep a safe distance, use a seatbelt, no texting. And definitely no toddling.

The video was used in the launch of the Make it to Monday campaign in the run-up to Queens’s Birthday Weekend. It was picked up in television news bulletins, shared through social media and quickly closed in on 1000 views on Police’s Youtube channel.

Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Dave Cliff says though the campaign targeted holiday weekend drivers, the basic messages - slow down, stop a mate driving drunk, buckle up – were life-savers year-round.

“Buckling your safety belt, driving at a safe speed and not drinking and driving are three of the most basic, life-saving choices that every motorist has the power to make,” he says.

“Making that right choice can be all the difference between life, death or permanent injury – whether for yourself, your mates, your family – or for someone else's.”