Be Bright, Be Seen: KCC and KM Group road safety campaign 2017

Be Bright, Be Seen is the message for youngsters now that the clocks have gone back.

Kent County Council is reminding all road users to be extra vigilant as the darker mornings and evenings make it more difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to be seen by drivers.

With children travelling to and from school during the darker hours, the KCC road safety team want to ensure children are more visible to drivers by wearing something reflective. To support such a vital message the My Kent Family is teaming up with KCC and launching a Be Bright Be Seen campaign.

We’ll be reminding children and their families how to be safer when walking to and from school or when staying later for after school clubs.

We will also be distributing thousands of reflective key rings across Kent for youngsters to hang on to backpacks, book bags and even their school coats to help make them more visible on the county’s roads.

Drivers need to be looking out for those less visible and pedestrians and cyclists need to do everything they can to make themselves easier to be seen by wearing something fluorescent and reflective.

KCC road safety officer Sheila Spiers said: “Casualty rates for children during weekdays, peak at the journey times to and from school.

“Especially at this time of year, being seen more easily could be crucial. Whilst bright or fluorescent clothes show up well in the day, reflective materials work better at night and really show up in vehicle headlights.

“Be careful about where and when you cross the road too. Look for well-lit places so drivers can spot you more easily.”

HOW TO GET YOUR REFLECTIVE KEYRINGS

To help children be bright and be seen during the autumn and winter months we have designed and created special reflective keyrings. Thousands of them will hopefully be seen on the streets of Kent to help youngsters making their journeys to and from school in the darker mornings and evenings.

You could attach the keyring to your child’s coat, bookbag, lunchbox or backpack.
Teachers and headteachers in the county will be able to apply for a batch to be sent to their primary school.

Scouting groups and other community organisations who have children aged up to 11 in their care will be able to do the same.

We will also be distributing them at kmfm events such as lights switch-ons in the run up to Christmas where our street teams will be handing them out to families.

For further details on how to claim your keyrings, click here