A new children’s picture book about a very special Stop/ Go roadworker is setting the scene for some important road safety conversations in schools for Road Safety Week.
The campaign runs from May 9-15 and is coordinated by road safety charity Brake and sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Beca.
This year’s theme is Road Safety Heroes, recognising the professionals who are working to make roads safer for everyone – from designing safer roads to caring for people after a crash. The theme will also focus on the part everyone who uses roads can play in making them safer.
It’s a great fit with the latest children’s book by award-winning New Zealand author Jennifer Beck, titled ‘My Mum is Queen of the Road’ or ‘Ko tōku Māmā te Kuini o te Rori’ in the te reo Māori version.
Told from the perspective of a young boy, Ari, building a road in the sandpit with his friend, Isabella, the story highlights Ari’s mum’s job as a traffic management worker and her role in keeping her whānau, colleagues and community safe.
Published by Huia Publishers and illustrated by Lisa Allen, it aligns with the Road Safety Week message that everyone has a part to play when it comes to making our roads safer.
Beca has purchased 600 copies of the book and donated packs of four books, two in English and two in te reo Maori, to 150 primary schools around the country ahead of Road Safety Week.
Schools will host a storytime session on the topic of road safety with staff from Beca, Brake, Waka Kotahi and contractor friends visiting schools to read the book to students.
“We’ll chat with tamariki about why road safety is an important topic for all of us, and what being a ‘road safety hero’ means to them,” Beca transport and infrastructure general manager Andrea Rickard says
“We’re excited about this opportunity to share My Mum is Queen of the Road and take our own professional insights on road safety directly to tomorrow’s road safety heroes.”
Waka Kotahi land transport director Kane Patena says the campaign is about helping raise awareness of road safety and how everyone plays a role in keeping people safe on the roads.
“Roadworkers are mums, dads, brothers, sisters and friends and we want every one of them to get home safely to their whānau at the end of each shift,” he says.
“We’re looking forward to getting into schools to read this story and shine a light on a very special mum who works on the road to keep her workmates and all road users safe. It’ll encourage conversations about road safety in homes as well as classrooms,” he says.
Brake NZ director Caroline Perry is welcoming the initiative which sees many book packs distributed to schools that have registered for Road Safety Week activities through the organisation’s website.
“All children and young people use roads so learning about road safety is important, and the subject of this book is a great way to engage children, as well as fitting perfectly with the theme for this year’s Road Safety Week,” she says.
“My Mum is Queen of the Road is not just a great companion resource to the information we’re already providing, it’s a beautiful story that children will enjoy reading for many years to come.”
