The Road Safety Team have been at Mount Primary School in Wallasey this week to try out the new Kids Court initiative.
Teaming up with Merseyside Police, the Merseyside PCC and Wirral Council, we gave the power of keeping the roads around a school safe to its students.
Merseyside Police were present from 8.00 in the morning to tackle the issue of anti-social parking. However, on this particular morning, drivers caught exceeding the speed limit were given an unexpected choice.
Offenders were given the option of either being issued the standard fine and points, or attending the kids court. Accompanied by officers, drivers were taken to the school asked and explain themselves to the panel of waiting year 6 pupils.
The children asked the drivers if they knew what the speed limit by the school was, and why they were putting children’s lives in danger by speeding.
ALL drivers interviewed by the kids court said they found the experience daunting. They said that it had made them think seriously about their actions and their driving in general. Several drivers also said they found the process upsetting.
The Mount Primary School pupils were outstanding in the role of judges. Throughout the experiment they remained calm whilst maintaining eye contact and refusing to be swayed by the drivers excuses.
