BCAA expands its School Safety Patrol program to keep kids safe

B.C. elementary schools can receive safety patrol equipment, training tools and resources free of charge

BURNABY, BC, May 7, 2013 /CNW/ - The British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) is expanding its Road Safety Foundation's (RSF) School Safety Patrol program to help more children get to school and home safely. Starting now, BCAA is offering the School Safety Patrol Program free of charge to B.C. elementary schools.

The program is used by schools to help them organize and properly train a team of student safety patrollers who volunteer their time to ensure their peers remain safe at road crossings within schools zones. As a School Safety Patroller, students are taught about road safety, citizenship and team work.

BCAA encourages elementary schools across the province to register now for the School Safety Patrol program for the upcoming school year. Registered elementary schools receive safety patrol equipment, structured training materials and student resources to launch and run the program.

According to Safe Kids Canada, children aged 5 to 14 are at the greatest risk for pedestrian-related fatalities. In fact, more children experience pedestrian-related injuries in May and June, the time of year second only to the back-to-school season in September and October, when there is a spike in incidents.

"Improving road safety for children is critical to BCAA and it's important to us that schools have every opportunity to put into place a proper child-pedestrian safety program," says Mark Donnelly, President and COO of BCAA's Road Safety Foundation. "BCAA is pleased to offer our School Safety Patrol program free of charge to elementary schools to help keep kids safe on the road, especially in school zones."

Endorsed nationally by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), BCAA RSF's long standing School Safety Patrol program is part of an 80-year old CAA national road safety initiative. Since being introduced in B.C. by the RSF, the program has been running successfully for 14 years. Thousands of British Columbians can proudly say they were a School Safety Patroller and a leader in their community.

Parents who would like to see a School Safety Patrol program at their child's school should contact their child's elementary school principal.

Schools are encouraged to register for the program now by visiting the website bcaaroadsafety.com, emailing [email protected] or calling the RSF at 604-298-5107 or toll free 1-877-247-5551.

About BCAA
BCAA is one of the most trusted organizations in British Columbia, serving one-in-four B.C. households. With over 800,000 Members, BCAA provides an array of award-winning home, auto and travel insurance products and services, and roadside assistance. BCAA has also received the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates award for "Highest Customer Satisfaction among Home Insurance Providers in Western Canada". Now in its 107^th year, BCAA has over $400 million in annual sales, 27 locations and over 800 employees. To learn more about the benefits of BCAA Membership, visit bcaa.com. For more information on the BCAA Road Safety Foundation visit BCAARoadSafety.com.

SOURCE: British Columbia Automobile Association

Editor's notes
For further information, or to request an interview, please contact:

Niela Melanio
BCAA Communication Specialist
Office: 604-268-5342
Cell: 778-228-8859
Email: [email protected]