SLOW down and look out for children during these holidays to help reduce child pedestrian injuries and fatalities across the region.

You’ll soon begin to see signs urging you to ‘Slow Down, Kids Around’.

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These signs, around beaches, parks and other busy recreational locations, are there to remind you to be extra careful in your car during holiday time.

MidCoast Council is pleased to support road safety messaging from the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation. Michelle and David McLaughlin founded Little Blue Dinosaur after tragically losing their four-year-old son, Tom in a pedestrian accident on the Central Coast.

A central aim of Little Blue Dinosaur is to help make holiday time safer for children by using visual reminders for drivers and parents.

“Children don’t fully comprehend the dangers on our roads and they are still developing the ability to safely cross the road.

“That means it’s our responsibility as adults to look out for them,” said MidCoast Council’s Road Safety Officer, Chris Dimarco.

Land transport accidents are the leading underlying cause of death in Australia for the one to fourteen age group, according to The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

If you have children in your care, hold their hand when near a road, carpark, or any place where vehicles may approach.

Children have a more limited awareness of the presence of traffic and the speed and distance of oncoming vehicles.
“Holiday time is a busy period for our region,” added Chris.

“With additional traffic around, and both drivers and pedestrians who may be unfamiliar with the area, it’s critical we all take care of our most vulnerable pedestrians – children.”

For more information about the Hold My Hand Campaign, road safety tips and educational resources for children, visit www.littlebluedinosaur.org.