We are not surprised that you have been hearing a lot about Kiss 'N Ride.  This school safety initiative was the kick-off event for the May 8, 2002 Road Safety Challenge.  It is an innovative program designed to address morning traffic congestion and student safety.  Kiss n’ Ride brings principals, parents, police, and traffic engineers together to identify safe drop off zones at each individual school.  While parents remain in their cars, volunteers safely escort children to a designated. This system allows for convenient and safe drop-off 15-20 minutes before the morning school bell and relieves traffic congestion. This was a win/win solution for everyone involved.

We often think that our children are equipped to handle traffic situations when they have learned and can repeat safety rules.  However:

• Children in Kindergarten to Grade 3 have difficulty imagining that there is a need to assess traffic because in their minds the world is there to serve them.
• Telling children traffic rules does not lead to safer behaviour, but walking and negotiating traffic with them may improve their traffic skills when they are older.
• Children perceive wider streets as dangerous and narrower streets as safe.
• Children perceive that bigger cars travel faster than smaller cars.
• There are 26 judgment skills needed to cross a street safely.  Until children are about 8 years of age it is difficult for them to assess if a car or bus is even moving.
• In a car- pedestrian collision, children, because of their small stature, tend to be pulled under the car, resulting in more serious injuries; adults on the other hand, are more often thrown over the top of the car.
• Because of their short stature and lower eye levels, a child’s field of vision is easily obstructed by parked cars, utility poles, newspaper stands, real estate signs, etc.
• Children’s peripheral vision is not fully developed; they are easily distracted when trying to assess traffic.
• Most pedestrian traffic injuries happen to 5-9 year olds at mid block crossing, and to 10-14 year olds at intersections.

From: Canadian Institute of Child Health – www.cich.ca

Sponsors for the Kiss n’ Ride initiative are the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Princess Elizabeth School Advisory Council, State Farm Insurance, Ministry of Transportation, Road Safety Challenge, Windsor-Essex County Injury Prevention Coalition, Hotel-Dieu Grace Trauma Services, Windsor Police Services, Windsor Fire and Rescue, Victorian Order of Nurses, and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers).  Herman and St. Joseph high schools students contributed to the kick-off event by producing safety messages and flyers. Other high school and elementary students presented the Kiss n’ Ride program to local school boards and parent groups. Ten schools from each of the public and separate school boards participated. To add an element of fun there were bags full of surprises and tee shirts.