Scooters popular with kids
Children admitted to hospital due to injuries using push scooters has plateaued in Taranaki while around the country numbers have risen.
This stabilisation started around the same time Let’s Go began delivering its Scooter Sessions programme to children in years zero to four at school.
‘‘We would like to think that it’s contributing towards less crash statistics,’’ Let’s Go spokeswoman Liz Beck said.
Ultimately the programme is all about encouraging children to use active transport more and reduce congestion at the school gate.
It’s also about giving children basic safety skills, teaching them about driveway dangers, how to share the path with other users and, most of all, have fun.
The skills taught dovetail children into the Let’s Go BDO Cyclist Skills training programme, which it delivered to primary school youngsters in years five and six.
More than 10,000 pupils have been through the scooter programme since it started in August 2012. It cost just under $10,000 to run last year and was delivered to 1419 children.
As well as being funded by New Plymouth District Council’s Let’s Go and New Zealand Transport Agency, the programme has just been boosted by major sponsor The Lion Foundation.
‘‘It’s really fabulous when we’re able to get support from other parties to help fund these initiatives that we run in schools. It gives us the ability to further expand our programmes and to look at other ways that we can maximise the value.’’
The Lion Foundation head of partnerships Marcus Reynolds said it was an easy decision.
’’The Lion Foundation recognises the importance of children feeling safe and confident while they use their scooters,’’ he said. ’’It was also reassuring that the New Plymouth District Council were taking a lead. This gave us a comfort level that the programme would be of a high quality and reach the right schools.’’
Scooter Sessions was recently held at Woodleigh School and teacher Keely Wisnewski said the programme was brilliant.
’’The children take it seriously.’’ Afterwards the children were excited, full of knowledge and want to share what they’ve learned with everyone, she said.