Training children in traffic safety: theoretical aspects

Traumatizmas automobilių keliuose - pagrindinė vaikų mirtingumo priežastis Europoje. Pėstieji eismo dalyviai - pažeidžiamiausia eismo dalyvių kategorija ne tik tarp vaikų, bet ir tarp suaugusiųjų. Eismo dalyvių švietimas, informavimas bei mokymas - viena iš pasaulinių saugaus eismo strategijų. Daugumoje išsivysčiusių šalių organizuojamas vaikų saugaus eismo mokymas bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose, vykdomi moksliniai tyrimai, kuriais siekiama ne tik įvertinti ugdymo praktikoje taikomų programų efektyvumą, bet ir ieškoti efektyvesnio mokymo galimybių, kai efektyvumu laikomi elgesio pokyčiai realioje eismo aplinkoje. Straipsnyje apibendrinama kitų šalių mokslinė patirtis vaikų saugaus eismo mokymo srityje.Analysis of the results of experiments, carried out throughout the world on the efficiency of training children in traffic safety is done in the article. Based upon the experiment results and conclusions found in the literature, the main conditions for efficient teaching of traffic safety and some unproven hypotheses are stated. The following has been established: 1) Parents may be able to train traffic safety in real traffic environment, basing their training upon their own examples and stimuli system. However, lack of parents' motivation to do so was noticed. They also lack knowledge in psychology and pedagogy, child's problems on the road. 2) Contribution of the pedagogues of special safe traffic teaching institutions (safe traffic clubs, special teaching centers), who are methodically prepared, using visual aids and meeting with children once or twice a year may also be useful, if dynamic audiovisual aids are used. 3) Real traffic environment is the location in which behaviour could be developed. Little may be expected from a semi-real traffic environment. Efficiency of a lesson in the classroom depends on the visual aids used. 4) Oral training methods (exclusively oral) may influence theoretical knowledge but cannot influence behaviour. It is noted that it is useful to explain the unknown or obscure behaviour models. Oral teaching methods may become efficient if combined with other methods, e.g. demonstration, practical training. 5) The efficiency of practical training, in spite of a number of recommendations, was not adequately investigated. Rare analysis notes the necessity of practical teaching of the preschool children. Results of teaching primary school pupils by practical method and model table method did not differ. Efficiency of the use of published materials has not been proved by experiments. It may be useful if combined with other teaching methods. 6) Usefulness of slides and films in the training process depends on their methodical preparation. It was established that a continuous (even repeated) showing of a film is less efficient than showing stage by stage. Videotape efficiency was confirmed only partially. Few analyses were carried out, but they showed best results when modeling on the table, discussions and videotape sessions were combined