Back to school road
safety
02.09.22
BACK to school road
safety: It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure vulnerable road users are always safe on our roads.
As schoolchildren return to school, the Donegal Road
Safety Working Group is asking parents, guardians and
teachers to make road safety a priority in their back to
school preparations.
The return to school days brings more traffic in the
morning and afternoon. School buses are picking up
children, children walking and on bikes are hurrying to
get to school before the bell rings, parents are trying
to drop their children off before they go to work. |
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It is important that
motorists slow down and pay attention when children are
on the road, especially before and after school.
Motorists are being reminded that there will be a
significant increase in school going traffic in the
coming days. They should also expect to see a rise in
the number of children using the roads to get to school.
Brian O’Donnell, Road Safety Officer said: "Each one of
us must play our part to help make the roads safe and
look out for everyone who uses them. By exercising extra
care and caution, we can make the roads safer for
everyone”.
• Know the speed limit.
• Put down the mobile phone.
• Watch for pedestrians.
• Drive slowly past parked cars.
• Never overtake a school bus that is dropping off or
picking up children.
Parents are busy getting the usual school bits and
pieces organised – uniforms, books and lunch boxes.
Safefood have put together some top tips for making
healthy lunches.
Lunches provide around one third of our child’s daily
nutritional needs, so it’s important to put some
planning into them. |
Here are our top 5 tips to
consider when making their lunch this school year.
• School lunches can become repetitive. So, try to
include a wide variety of foods from every food group -
fruit and vegetables, starchy foods, protein and dairy.
• Use the same lunch time staples in different ways. For
example, instead of sandwiches every day, try varying
the type of bread by using pittas, bagels or wraps. Keep
a stock in the freezer to avoid food waste. Or if your
child enjoys rice or pasta include that instead of
bread. You can do this by cooking a little extra in the
evening. These can make tasty fillers.
• It’s important to keep kids hydrated throughout the
day – up to 6 cups of fluid should be encouraged daily.
Milk and plain water are the best options for drinks. We
understand it can be difficult getting your child to
drink water. Brightly coloured bottles and can make
plain water more interesting!
• Get your child involved in choosing and making their
lunches. This is a perfect opportunity for them to learn
about healthy eating and pick up good habits. And if
your child is starting school this year, get them to
practice opening and closing their lunchbox – honestly
their teacher will be grateful!
• Often when introducing new food to children, they will
need to see and taste it several times before they
accept it as part of their regular diet. So, why not try
out new ideas at dinner time or at the weekends before
including them in the lunchbox. |
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