Avatea teachers back helmets
Avatea School teachers are supporting calls to make it compulsory for students to wear safety helmets when riding motorcycles to and from school.
They backed moves by Tereora College principal Daryl Waiti, whose efforts to enforce the wearing of safety helmets upset some parents.
Many of the Avatea teachers said there is a need to step up the safety issue from a young age. This is so students are aware of how important road safety is by the time they are teenagers or young adults.
The Avatea teachers agreed it should be compulsory for all students who travel to and from school on motorcycles to wear safety helmets.
This ensures safety at all times, they said.
The teachers also commented how students tend to speed while riding to school, either because they are late or because they are not following the speed code.
Whatever the reason, the teachers feel wearing of helmets will protect them if they have an accident or skid on a wet patch of the road.
The teachers said parents or caregivers would like see children grow up to be successful and healthy adults.
The Avatea School has an education programme on road safety. This teaches students the dangers on the roads and how important it is to be aware of safety procedures.
The Avatea teachers pledged their support for compulsory wearing of safety helmets by students.
Gus Meyer, of the Parents and Teachers Association for Tereora College, said there is much support from the community for the move to make the wearing of crash helmets compulsory.
He told Radio New Zealand International: “We’ve certainly raised the awareness of wearing helmets, not just through the college campaigning, but also the Rotary and there’s private individuals and the Road Safety Council. We’ve all been pushing for the wearing of helmets.”

-FMG

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