Crucial Crew

 

In 2009 Crucial Crew celebrates 4 years at its permanent home in the Lifewise centre at Magna near Tinsley after many years at temporary venues.

 

Crucial Crew gives Year 6 pupils life skills to deal with and avoid a range of potentially hazardous situations. The children face real life emergency situations and learn how to deal with them, by reading the situation, acting sensibly or calling for help. It is supported by staff from Sheffield Road Safety, South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue.

 

At the Lifewise centre a typical British street has been created within a large hanger-type building, this includes street furniture, shops, public houses, a park, a railway level crossing, a bus interchange and telephone boxes.

  

Road Safety delivers a scenario that consists of the use of a car which is fitted with a brake reaction tester. The aim is to help children understand that a car cannot stop instantly. It is demonstrated that a driver travelling at 30mph takes an average of 23 metres to stop; 9 metres thinking distance and 14 metres stopping distance. This is linked with looking at ways drivers can be distracted e.g. talking on a phone (either mobile or hands free) and what other things can slow driver's reactions down e.g. drugs and alcohol.

 

The children then learn that they are in the highest risk group for pedestrian casualties, traffic being the biggest single killer of 12-16 year olds and they are asked to consider why that might be. Finally they are shown the new puffin crossing and how it differs from a pelican and they cross the road using the puffin to go on to the next scenario.

 

This year over 6000 children from more than 150 Sheffield schools will obtain this essential road safety training through the Crucial Crew experience. This represents 98% of the schools in Sheffield - we are aiming for 100% in 2010.

 

In September the Lifewise centre will play host to a special Crucial Crew for the third year running; an event aimed at the over 50s. It is organised by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and lasts for 3 days. It includes a road safety scenario which highlights the dangers to older pedestrians; other scenarios include personal and fire safety, home and Internet security, bogus callers and anti-social behaviour. This Over 50s Crucial Crew has been very successful in the past and this is expected to be repeated in 2009.