Road Safety Education in School - Essay Example

? Road Safety Education in School Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 0Introduction 3 2.0Rationale 3 3.0Road Safety Education 3 4.0Health Promotion Intervention 6 5.0Planning Process for a Hypothetical Intervention 7 5.1Health Promotion Needs and Priorities 7 5.2Setting Aims and Objectives 8 5.3Identify Available Resources 8 5.4Plan Evaluation Methods 8 5.5Set Action Plans 9 5.6Implement the Action Plants 9 5.7Evaluate Action Plans 9 6.0Conclusion 9 List of References 11 1.0 Introduction This paper gives an analysis of health promotion. It focuses on the aspect of road safety education at schools, on all individuals and on how the factors around them influence decisions they make on their health. It provides the perception and resultant effects of a road accident economically, sociologically and by using epidemiological approach. Road safety education programs at schools are one type of intervention used to ensure that awareness is created as to health issues (Retting, et al., 2003, pp.17-23). The paper also discusses issues of health promotion and focuses on health promotion interventions used to ensure road safety. Also examined are the weaknesses that have been experienced in interventions used. The paper will examine planning process for hypothetical health promotion intervention as well as, discussing all the stages involved. Finally, a detail conclusion will be provided. 2.0 Rationale The purpose of writing this paper is to enable understanding of the concepts underlying health promotion. It is to give the meaning of what a health promotion intervention entitles. It is also written to make us understand the planning process involved in health promotion intervention and it is based on road safety education in schools. 3.0 Road Safety Education Road safety education is vital in every country because of great number of road crashes that still kill high number of road users. Just like other diseases road crashes has become an injury burden in the world. Death and subsequent trauma cost accompanied by it remains a tragedy in every country. The road infrastructure, road user and vehicles used may be attributed to the cause of road crash. Focus, therefore, should be directed in effective safety management process where individuals in the country are educated on importance of maintaining safety on road. A comprehensive approach should be undertaken to ensure that road crashes are significantly reduced since they are inevitable. The approach should range from improved road designs, development and implementation of school training programmes on road safety, enhanced standards for safety equipment in vehicles, improved medical care and emergency services. Road safety education is important since road crashes and losses brought with it involve important sections of a country setup. The main concern of road safety education is to reduce number of careless road accidents that can be avoided through impacting of proper knowledge to learners (Christian, 2004, pp. 34-38). Road safety is a great issue in any country. Economically, it is a burden to a country because it reduces GDP where resources are allocated to take care of affected instead of being used for productive purposes. The cost of road accidents has always been high than its benefit. Road construction and maintenance costs are high, medical treatments needed for affected victims are also high and the country has a loss of human capital (Redelmeier, et al., 2003, pp.2177-2182). Epidemiological approach measures how incidences like road accidents results to negative health. Negative health involves injuries, trauma and subsequent reduction of an individual’s capacity to perform everyday activities. Victims of road accidents experiences severe body damages which eventually reduce their capabilities to perform normally. Those whose body parts have been impaired find it difficult to contribute relative to their earlier performances. It is important to understand that loss of death through accidents affects growth of population since mortality rates are increased (Christian, 2004, pp.34-38). Sociologically, road accident which results to severe body damages causes an individual to be affected in how they interact with society. Those left lame might not be able to work, be independent or help members of their families depending on extent of damage. They will require much attention from society members. An increase in rate of road accidents lowers health of society since a society full of disabled individuals may not perform well as required. Several people are dedicated toward taking care of their sick ones and hence reducing stability of a society (Redelmeier, et al., 2003, pp.2177-2182). High rate of road accidents cause a need of investing of resources into ensuring that accidents are reduced. This reduces amount available to be used to develop community on matters of importance that will lead to increase in productivity. There are several principles that govern health promotions. Individuals can be empowered where they are encouraged to take control of decisions and actions affecting their health. This is done through creation of awareness. Health promotions are required to provide information to create an understanding of what individuals are expected to do and what is considered as healthy. Individuals are also encouraged to participate in decision making on things that affect their health. Health promotions are expected to be holistic and sustainable in that they should be sustainable in long-term (Elvik & Christensen, 2007, pp.689 -695). Health promotions should ensure that students at schoolsdevelop personal skills through their various educational programs and positive health information. These skills include: communication, negotiation, motivation and self-esteem. They should strengthen community actions where they partner with community organizations to be able to support the promotion projects and increase awareness. As health related policies are developed individuals will participate in keeping road safety for themselves and those around there area of operation. This will create supportive healthy environments for the society since they are well educated on what activities they should engage in (Wylie, 2010, pp.45-47). 4.0 Health Promotion Intervention Health promotion at schoolsis undertaken to ensure that young generation increase their control on matters of their health and factors that affect their healthy. The main aim behind it is being able to improve health standards. Health promotion interventions are those activities which are directed towards helping adjust certain health problems. They often target specific population and strive to use tailored approaches to effectively meet needs of target group. The target group in this case is road users who are crashed on road by vehicles. Health promotion interventions focus on a range of perspective behaviours of individuals and health risk involved. Effective transport infrastructure has been advocated and improved. Development of two way traffics and superhighways has reduced issue of head on collision while use of electrical trains has reduced number or vehicle users hence reducing road accidents. Safety gadget installation on vehicles during manufacturing has been used to ensure that while travelling the health of users is increased (Elvik & Christensen, 2007, pp. 689 -695). Use of safety belt is a precautionary health practice advocated by all health practitioners. Education programs on road safety have been introduced in school curriculums and advertised on several media channels, hence, increasing awareness of importance of road safe practice. Provision for pedestrian walking tracks and zebra crossing to reduce cases of vehicle hits. This has enable order on roads and created a distinguishable responsibility to individuals on what they are supposed to do and on what side of the road (Vaa, 1997, pp. 373-385). There has been legislative change restricting driving while drunk or over speeding has been advocated for and implemented by the government and local authorities. Awareness on importance of driving while alert has been created to all individuals and community asked to ensure that its people follow rule. An education program at schoolsthat lays an early foundation necessitates reduction of road accidents (Wylie, 2010, pp. 45-47). Even though several health promotion interventions have been used there is still a high rate of road accidents. Creation of superhighways has provided individuals with ability to over-speeding, hence, causing even more accidents. Individuals still do not use pedestrian tracks and zebra crossing while walking. This has been considered as one of careless ways of road use. Also, excessive drunkenness incapacitates individuals hence they do not observe rule of law and hence causing more accidents. Construction and maintenance costs of transport services are high hence leading to poor roads with potholes that necessitate road accidents (Wylie, 2010, pp. 45-47). Road safety begins with an individual as it spreads to others around. Every individual has the responsibility of practicing safe health standards. It is important to learn that one single careless mistake can affect lives of several others either by death or injury (Potvin, 2008, pp. 22-26). 5.0 Planning Process for a Hypothetical Intervention A hypothetical case about crossing a superhighway at a developing market and in this case implementation program is road safety education to reduce road accidents. The superhighway is passing at a rapid developing market in US at a highly populated area of continent. Health and Road Safety is a NGO whose mission is to maintain road safety health practices. They need to construct a crossing bridge at the market which will be used by over 400 people in a day. The starting date is 16th of May 2012 (Elvik, 1997, pp. 14-19). 4 5 5.1 Health Promotion Needs and Priorities The current situation is that there have been a lot of road accidents as individuals try to cross the superhighway in an attempt to conduct activities in the market. The community requires a bridge that they will use to cross the road. The existing health problem is that several individuals have died and more others severely injured. The bridge will help maintain the health of the community (Potvin, 2008, pp.22-26). 5.2 Setting Aims and Objectives The aim of the NGO is to decide on best way to eliminate cases of death and road injuries at the crossing site and increase safety standard awareness. The objectives are to complete bridge construction in three months’ time, use budgeted cost of 15,000 dollars efficiently in bridge construction, to employ 40 workers and to attach media adverts on importance of using road fly over bridge in three months (Bener, et al., 2008, pp.324-333). 5.3 Identify Available Resources The organization has 20,000 dollars and expects another 10000 dollars from government after completing a half face of project. The current construction workers are 33 and recruitment of other qualified staff is on-going to be completed in 4 days’ time. 5.4 Plan Evaluation Methods Evaluation is vital since it enables measuring extend of what has been achieved. It involves comparing with set objectives. This project will be evaluated as per successful stage completion, delivery or ability to satisfy the goal and duration taken with cost used. Evaluation will be based on how individuals will participate, reduction rate of road accidents compared to previous ones and extent of awareness as per change of individuals to undertake safety precautions put in place (Elvik, 1997, pp. 14-19). Evaluation through outcome is one of the best measures since effectiveness of intervention can be seen. They can be weighed both in short term and long-term basis considering their impacts in individual’s behaviours and patterns. Children will be able to cross to the market while the long term would be a complete reduction in pedestrian accident hits (Bener, et al., 2008, pp.324-333). 5.5 Set Action Plans The NGO decided that it will provide road safety information to every school to ensure that every student and pupil has knowledge of what is required of them in keeping health practices. They are also going to change behaviours of individuals in society to ensure that everyone upholds what is healthy. They will reduce the road accident rates immediately after construction of bridge (Aberg, 1998, pp. 205-215). 5.6 Implement the Action Plants Passing information will require that appropriate communication media be chosen. This could be mass media, talking to people or making planned campaigns. To be able to change behaviours of individuals they will be an example to others and encourage them to follow safety promotions. They will also visit schools and conduct sports activities that help to advice and urge youths to follow their example (De Waard & Rooijers, 1994, pp.751-765). 5.7 Evaluate Action Plans When individuals start using the bridge and parents guiding their children in following safety standards then it will be understood to what extent their message has been understood and accepted (Maria, 2004, pp.78-79). 6.0 Conclusion Road safety education at schools is an important issue since it provides the basis of young ones understanding what they are expected to do as safe and healthy. As discussed above health promotion requires dissemination of information to individuals so that they can take appropriate actions and safeguard their health. A healthy environment is one that lacks elements that can affect an individual socially or psychologically (Tillyer, et al., 2010, pp. 69-92). Health promotion interventions like teaching safety standards at schools are important to ensure that the problem of road accidents resulting from lack of knowledge and carelessness is avoided. This paper has also shed light on a hypothetical health promotion intervention process giving light on important steps undertaken. List of References Aberg L., 1998. Traffic rules and traffic safety. Safety Sci., 29(3): 205-215. Bener A., Al Maadid M. G. A., Ozkan T., Al-Bast D. A. E., Diyab K. N., & Lajunen T. 2008. The impact of four-wheel drive on risky driver behaviours and road traffic accidents. Transportation Res. F – Traf., 11: 324-333. Christian, A., 2004. Encyclopaedia of health psychology. New York: Plenum Publishers, 34-38. De Waard D., & Rooijers T., 1994. An experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods and intensities of law enforcement on driving speed on motorways. Accident Anal. Prev. 25: 751-765. Elvik R., 1997. Effects on accidents of automatic speed enforcement in Norway. Transp. Res. Record., 1595: 14-19. Elvik R., & Christensen, P., 2007. The deterrent effect of increasing fixed penalties for traffic offences: The Norwegian experience. J. Safety Res., 38(6): 689 - 695. Maria, H., 2004. Road safety by design: a decision support tool for identifying ex ante evaluation issues of road safety. Netherlands: Eburon Publishers, 78-79. Potvin, L., 2008. Health promotion evaluation practices in America: values and research. USA: springer publisher, 22-26 Redelmeier D. A., Tibshirani R. J., & Evans L., 2003. Traffic-law enforcement and risk of death from motor-vehicle crashes: case-crossover study. Lancet, 361(9376): 2177-2182. Retting R. A., Ferguson S. A., & Hakkert S. A., 2003. Effects of red light cameras on violations and crashes: A review of the international literature. Traffic Inj. Prev. 4: 17-23. Tillyer R., Engel R. S., & Cherkauskas J. S., 2010. Best practice in vehicle stop data collection and analysis. Policing, 33(1): 69-92. Vaa T., 1997. Increased police enforcement: effects on speed. Accident Anal. Prev., 29(3): 373-385. Wylie, A., 2010. Health promotion in medical education: from rhetoric to action. United Kingdom: Radcliffe publishing Ltd., 45-47. Read More