Starting Out Safely is the core road safety education program for children under six years of age.
The Starting Out Safely program is designed to provide road safety information and support to parents and carers of children under six years of age. The program aims to encourage parents and carers to act as role models in road safety, to supervise children effectively in and near the traffic and to educate children in pedestrian and passenger safety.
The program is delivered through kindergartens, early childhood centres, maternal and child health, and family day care. The Starting Out Safely program character is ThingleToodle (TT). TT appears in television commercials funded by the Transport Accident Commission, and visits early childhood centres throughout Victoria.
The Starting Out Safely program includes:
- Early childhood road safety education resource
- Family guide to road safety (3 to 5 years)
- Postcards
- Road safety guides
- Educational posters
- Storybooks
- Stickers
(including ThingleToodle)
:
Children aged 3-5 years and their parents and carers
This program is implemented in early childhood programs and covers four main areas:
- Pedestrian safety
- Passenger safety
- Safe play
- Out and about
The resource features ThingleToodle, a friendly character who’s there to learn about road safety with the children.
- Resource folder with an extensive range of early childhood teacher resources and programming ideas. Includes body and traffic awareness pictures.
- Nine poster size discussion prints presented in a storage folder.
- Road safety songs CD.
(update of Children's road safety activity books)
3.5 to 5 years Description:
A key component of the Starting Out Safely – early childhood road safety education resource. Research shows that young children can learn road safety skills from an early age. The booklet provides parents and carers with key learnings for children about road safety and some practical ideas to help their child become a safe road user.
Eight page booklet
(update of Children's road safety activity books)
3 to 5 years
:
A key component of the Starting Out Safely – early childhood traffic safety education resource.
:
Two brightly coloured postcards featuring ThingleToodle
- Choose the right restraint
- Getting ready for school
Children aged 3 to 5 years
Engaging fun songs featuring ThingleToodle. Road safety messages cover pedestrian and passenger safety and safe play.
ThingleToodle song [MP3, 2,226 KB]
:
Birth to 3.5 years
Developmentally relevant information for parents/carers on managing young children safely in traffic and how to develop children’s traffic awareness. Suitable for distribution and display in maternal and child health, family day care and early childhood services.
VicRoads provides a range of posters to support the Starting Out Safely program. These posters are provided free of charge.
Starting Out Safely: Safety door sticker
Birth to 5 years
A key component of the Starting Out Safely – early childhood road safety education resource. This sticker is for use on the left hand side rear passenger door of vehicles. This is the safest door for children to get in and out of when parked kerbside – away from traffic.
If you want to purchase any of VicRoads publications which are for sale, you can:
If you want to obtain a copy of any VicRoads free publication you can:
- Search for an electronic copy of the publication on the VicRoads website
- Visit the Victorian Government Bookshop at Level 20, 80 Collins Street Melbourne to pick up a copy
- Telephone the Victorian Government Bookshop on 1300 366 356