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However you travel, take responsibility for your own safety. Don’t let your phone, games or music (or even your friends!) distract you from what’s going on around you.
When it comes to so-called accidental deaths, such as fire, drowning, poisoning or falls, traffic kills far more children and young people (excepting babies) than all of these events combined. Four out of five deaths of 10-19 year olds (excepting deaths from illness) are in road crashes. (see www.brake.org.uk )
Do some research before a new journey – plan routes and identify places where you might need to take extra care. Allow plenty of time to get there. If you are going by public transport, check the times and stops carefully. Always have a back-up plan in case there are problems.
You keep your skin clean. You condition your hair. You’re eating right. You’re doing all you can to look and feel great. But are you missing out on an important part of a healthier lifestyle?
No matter what your age or shape, you should exercise daily. Not only does exercise tone your body so you can wear your favorite jeans, it strengthens your muscles, keeps your bones strong, and improves your skin. And there are more benefits of exercise — increased relaxation, better sleep and mood, strong immune function, and more.
In addition, exercise boosts blood flow to the brain and helps it receive oxygen and nutrients. The better shape you’re in, the faster you fire brain waves that are responsible for quick thinking. So, for example, if maths is a real problem, you may find that daily exercise, such as walking or cycling to school helps to solve it!
Cars and other motor vehicles produce gases when they burn petrol or diesel. These include carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes to global warming. Exhaust fumes also contain carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals which are harmful to our planet and our health, causing breathing problems and even some cancers. When you are a passenger in a vehicle you can actually be exposed to 3 times more fumes than if you are walking or cycling.
Petrol and diesel are made from oil, which is a ‘fossil fuel’. There is only a limited amount left in the world, and it is getting harder to get it out from under the ground. (One of the reasons it is getting so expensive.) Perhaps in your lifetime there will be no more oil available, so scientists and engineers are busy looking for new ways to power vehicles – including solar, electricity, bio-fuels, hydrogen, even water!
Archive for January, 2015
Cycle Why
Tuesday, January 20th, 2015
Owning and using a bike is much cheaper than running a car. You’ll need a bike of course, but you can pick up a second-hand one quite cheaply, sometimes even for free if someone is feeling generous. You’ll also need stuff like lights, a good lock and a helmet; and from time to time new tyres and other replacement parts. But again, you can often find good deals at cycle shops or through school.
Cycling is good fun and great exercise. Even if you are not particularly sporty you can get on a bike, travel to school and burn some calories at the same time.
You can travel independently; once your parents are confident that you know what you are doing, you can cycle to all sorts of places. There are over 100km of off-road cycle paths in Swindon – get hold of a local cycle map and have a look.
Cycling can be quicker than going by car, particularly for shorter journeys around town. You can use the cycle paths and get out of the traffic jams.
Cycling is good for the environment – no fuel, no pollution and no CO2 emissions, other than what you breathe out!
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Public Transport Why
Tuesday, January 20th, 2015
It can be cheaper than using the car. Look out for special deals on tickets and passes for students, or if you don’t have much money coming in for your family, find out if you are eligible for a free school travel pass.
You can travel together with all your friends – there’s usually plenty of room.
You can travel without an adult – as long as you have the money for the ticket and behave responsibility.
Travelling by bus is good for the environment as well. One bus can hold loads of people, but takes up much less room on the road than all their cars, uses less fuel and makes less pollution too.
In the winter when it’s icy, the bus routes are gritted and cleared first so the buses can keep running. Much easier and safer than trying to get to school by car or bike.
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Car Tips
Tuesday, January 20th, 2015
If you really need to travel by car, think about smart ways to do it. Can you share lifts with a friend to reduce the cost for each of you and the number of cars on the road?
Ask your driver to drop you off a short distance from your destination and walk the rest of the way. This means you get some fresh air and exercise, and there is less congestion at the key points like the school entrance. It’s also much less stressful for your driver!
Always wear a seatbelt if one is available, even for short journeys. 1 in 3 crashes happen less than a mile from the driver’s home.
Wait until the car has stopped before opening the door, and always try to get out on the pavement side if possible.
Stop or park in safe places - stopping right outside school gates, across driveways or on yellow lines is pretty selfish and makes it more dangerous for everyone. Ask your driver to wait for you somewhere away from the madness!
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