Catholic schools  stressed  the importance of road safety when they asked parents to join children on their walk to school.

Mums, dads and carers were asked to teach their children to look right and left and right again before crossing the road on Walk Safely to School Day on Friday, May 4.

The Catholic Education Office encourages Sydney's Catholic schools to adopt the Pedestrian Council of Australia initiative following a number of pedestrian crossing accidents involving children last year, one of those taking place outside a Catholic school.

The initiative is an effort to compel motorists to stop ignoring the 40 km/h school zone speed limit and reinforce good safety practices early with children.

Chiara was accompanied to school by her parents on May 4.

Her father Adrian Eussen, a PDHPE and Road Safety Adviser for Catholic schools in the Sydney Catholic school system, said walking to school helped keep the family fit as well as safe.

"In our household exercise is really important," he said.  "We want to model good behaviour and set habits early in the kids' lives."

Sydney's Catholic Education Office Child Protection Officer Carolyn Hadley urged parents to acknowledge the day by imparting important safety messages and raising awareness with their children of potential road hazards.

"Parents and carers need to be informed about the importance of developing their child's vital road-crossing skills. Children until the ages of 11 and 12 years are still developing their peripheral vision," Mrs Hadley said.

 "Crossing roads in the appropriate places with your child and holding your child's hand on the way to school are practical ways to reduce the number of pedestrian accidents.

"It is also important to advise children not to walk home with loud music in their ears as the may not be attentive to the actions of people and vehicles around them."

Tips for parents and carers on safe travel to and from school...

For Further Information:
Bernadette Zebec, Communications Unit, CEO, Leichhardt. Tel: 9568 8223
Adrian Eussen, Curriculum Adviser PDHPE; Drug/Alcohol Education; Road Safety
K-12 Archdiocesan CEO, Sydney. Tel: 9772 7050