Kids ‘dead’ in street: Is this really best way to get cars to slow down?
THE dramatic street scenes of children lying motionless resemble the aftermath of a serious car accident.
In fact, the youngsters are only ‘playing dead’ for a road safety campaign.
The stunt was organised at a school to encourage motorists to take greater care in picking up and dropping off pupils.
Parents at Banchory Primary in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, said the desperate measure came about after investigating all other ideas.
Road safety experts said more ‘traditional means’ should be deployed to highlight the risks.
But police insist the dramatic approach will grab the attention of drivers and ‘hopefully get the message across more effectively’.
Across Scotland, the number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads has risen from 144 to 162 between 2015-16 and 2016-17.
In Alloa, officers said they ‘attended to ensure the road was free of traffic so it was safe for the children to lie down on the road’.
Parents who organised the campaign said it had proved effective in raising the issue for debate.
However, a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: ‘A stunt like this is definitely not something we could condone. We’d urge people to use traditional means of publicising, such as highlighting any issues with the local media.’
There was a mixed reaction to the stunt on social media.
One angry parent said: ‘The same school where a teacher/ member of staff parks on the path
‘Highlights how dangerous it is’
ignoring the double yellows in the playground. Glad my boy leaves here at end of month.’
In contrast, another parent said: ‘I think it’s a powerful image and is appropriate for all schools.’
Councillor Darren Lee, who represents the Clackmannanshire West ward, supports the ‘bold move’. He said: ‘A couple of weeks ago, my son was nearly hit by a car speeding down that road.
‘There are a lot of near-misses. Nothing is working. We’ve tried working with the police and speed bumps and yellow lines were put in place. Unfortunately, people are completely flouting those.’
Alastair Freck, chairman of the parent council, said: ‘It is a bit unusual and a bit dramatic, but seems to be having the desired effect because people are already talking about it.’
PC Leigh Allen, community officer for Clackmannanshire West, said: ‘We were happy to support this event organised by the parents’ council. It highlights how dangerous it is to park on the double yellow lines.’
A Clackmannanshire Council spokesman said: ‘The chief education officer is liaising with the headteacher to explore and engage with parents on this matter.’