Road safety education, driver education and training
This policy is designed to support effective road safety education programs in NSW public schools K-12. It also assists schools to plan effective driver education for students in Years 9 and 10 and Stage 6 Life Ready.
Changes since previous version
2020 Jul 21 - updated Stage 6 text from Crossroads to Life Ready.
Document history
2019 Nov - updated contact details and made minor style and editing changes.
2016 - amalgamation of all related policies and memorandums. Inclusion of advice regarding Walking School Bus programs. Updated advice about vehicles on school property. Addition of new Crossroads course as a mandatory requirement for Stage 6.
Superseded documents
Road Safety Education Policy Statement-Pre-school to Year 12, NSW Department of School Education, December 1994
Driver Education: Curriculum Statement and Guidelines-Years 9-12, NSW Department of School Education, December 1994
Use of Private Motor Vehicles by Students 85/340 (S.477)
Compulsory Wearing of Helmets by Bicycle Riders 91/123 (S.080)
School Buses-Warning Systems 94/056 (S.054)
The Use of Seatbelts on Buses 99/293 (S.211).
- Policy statement
- Effective road safety education programs will be taught in each stage of learning (K-10) as part of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) syllabuses and Stage 6 Life Ready.
- Driver education programs are to be taught as part of the PDHPE 7-10 syllabus and Stage 6 Life Ready.
- This policy requires schools, if implementing driver training (behind-the-wheel) programs, to follow the guidelines and principles outlined in the Driver Training Implementation Guidelines
- Audience and applicability
- Schools including preschools attached to schools.
- Context
- This policy provides a summary and consolidation of policy on road safety education across NSW public schools. It is designed to be read in conjunction with the department's Road Safety Education website and this policy's implementation document.
- Road safety education, including driver education, is taught in NSW public schools as part of PDHPE.
- On specific issues related to road safety, the department is guided by advice from Transport for NSW.
- Responsibilities and delegations
- All school staff
- It is the responsibility of school staff to:
- ensure that road safety is taught as part of the PDHPE key learning area within each stage of learning and Stage 6 Life Ready
- take reasonable measures to protect students against risk of injury or harm that should have reasonably been foreseen
- take reasonable care for the health and safety of all in the workplace.
- It is the responsibility of school staff to:
- Parent/guardians/caregivers
- Parents/guardians/caregivers are expected to:
- cooperate with the school and other government agencies on issues relating to road safety
- where relevant, collaborate with the school in planning to support the child's safety needs at school, including updating information and reviewing plans.
- Parents/guardians/caregivers are expected to:
- Students
- Students are expected to:
- contribute to the provision of a healthy and safe environment
- cooperate with staff in managing safety
- develop the understandings and skills needed to progressively manage their own safety.
- Students are expected to:
- All school staff
- Monitoring and review
- To maintain the currency and validity of this policy, it will be reviewed and updated as necessary at least annually. Staff are invited to submit suggestions to the Road Safety Education Coordinator.
- Contact
Road Safety Education Coordinator
roadsafetyed@det.nsw.edu.au
02 7814 1937