Monday 11 May 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

Bear on a mission!

Road safety bear spreading the word to Thames-Coromandel youngsters

The district’s most colourful road safety campaigner is back. Ruben the Road Safety Bear will be spreading his ‘keep safe’ messages to children at preschools and schools in the Thames-Coromandel and neighbouring districts from July.

Ruben the Road Safety Bear is Environment Waikato’s road safety icon who delivers very serious road safety messages through a fun interactive lesson to children in the 3 – 7 year age group. Ruben’s lessons take about 20 minutes to deliver and are supported by a range of resources including his own club for those “Ruben Roadstars” which all reinforce his safety messages.

Ruben likes to teach children about crossing the road safely, looking out for sneaky driveways, safety in busy places like carparks, wearing seatbelts and bike helmets correctly and his lessons can be general or targeted to areas of particular concern.

Thames-Coromandel District Council Road Safety Co-ordinator Ingrid Le Fevre says the purple coloured bear and his minder have, during past visits, been a very popular tool.

"He supports those people teaching road safety to our vulnerable young road users in the 3 to 7 year age range."

She encourages preschools and schools to contact her early to book a lesson from Ruben during his upcoming visit.

Letters have been sent to all preschools and schools in the Thames-Coromandel District and they have until Friday 25 May to book him in. He will be in Thames-Coromandel district during the week 29 June to 3 July, in Matamata-Piako district in August and Hauraki district in October.

ENDS

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