Geared Up to Make Kids Safe and Seen on Roads

Media Release
For Immediate Release
Sunday 4 March

Geared Up to Make Kids Safe and Seen on Roads

New Zealand's track record for child pedestrian safety and the unavailability of safe clothing for kids has put mother and daughter team Monica Telfer and Anna Southon on a mission to keep kids safe on our roads.

Anna and Monica are the women behind locally designed ROADWORKS high visibility gear for children, and with sales up 280% on last year, the fluorescent, waterproof, unisex jackets are proving popular with Kiwi parents who want to keep their children seen and safe.

When Wellington-based Anna's eldest daughter started school the only waterproof jackets she could find were navy and black. In 2004, in conjunction with her mother, a former teacher from Christchurch, they set up Geared NZ and launched the ROADWORKS range to fill a gap in the market.

Six pedestrians and three cyclists under-15 years old were killed on New Zealand roads last year, and 253 pedestrians and 181 cyclists from the same age group injured.

"It's a real problem and we are committed to reducing these rates," says Anna.

Geared NZ is joining Land Transport New Zealand's 'Feet First Walk to School Week' (March 5-9) as a sponsor to get their message across even more.

"We're sponsoring 'Feet First Walk to School Week' because it encourages kids around the country to walk to and from school, and lets them know how to be safe and seen on the roads," says Anna.

Children are not only safer because of ROADWORKS gear they're also healthier.

"Walking to school helps keep our kids fit and gives them the opportunity to practice their road skills. I believe that visibility around traffic and learning good safety habits early on are key to creating a safe environment for kids to walk," says Monica.

ROADWORKS are available on-line, but schools have also been getting behind Geared NZ by selling the jackets and vests to their own students and in return, $5 from each jacket goes back to the school.

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