Oxford pupils remind drivers that 20 really is plenty

There are few things in life more persuasive than the pleas of children asking not to be hurt or killed.

And the Oxford Mail reports that school children in the city have been doing just that, urging motorists to cut their speed to 20mph in built-up areas as part of the Schools National Brake Road Safety Week which ended on Friday.

According to Brake, the charity behind the event, a survey of 15,531 children revealed that nine in ten of them think drivers go too fast in their neighbourhood and that one in ten have already been knocked down.

As part of the week’s campaigning, pupils at Windmill Primary School, in Headington, Oxford, used placards to remind drivers of the stopping distances of cars.

The school is now situated in a 20mph zone, which, headteacher Lynn Knapp told the Mail, had made a big difference.

She said: “We’re incredibly fortunate to have a 20mph zone outside. Before it was introduced we were desperately worried about the threat of traffic to the children’s safety.

“Most schools are not as fortunate, and of course many of our pupils live on roads where fast traffic stops them getting out and about safely.

“That’s why we backed the campaign, and are calling on drivers to slow down to 20mph on all roads where there are homes, schools and community facilities.”

The move comes as new research reveals that children are unable to accurately see or judge the speed of vehicles traveling at more than 20mph.