Fun tune for road safety

Senior constable Bryan Ward, with his "dog" Bobby, says filming the clip was a lot of fun. Photo / Greg Bowker

Forget Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - a new version is helping young Kiwis learn about traffic safety.

A video clip with a song called Twinkle Twinkle Traffic Light is being launched today, and features children from a South Auckland daycare as well as emergency services and TV hosts Suzy Cato and Jane Kiely. The campaign also includes Counties Manukau senior constable Bryan Ward and his "dog" Bobby who are already well known in schools.

The song, which police hope will gain popularity on YouTube, is launched within a wider campaign to get children involved in road safety, especially around intersections.

Preschools, daycares, primary and intermediate schools throughout the Counties Manukau District will have colouring competitions distributed to them by police, who will work alongside a Bryan and Bobby road safety lesson available to teachers.

Mr Ward said filming the clip was a lot of fun. But traffic safety was something that needed to be reinforced.

Students around the country are invited to create their own version of the Twinkle Twinkle Traffic Light video and upload it to the Treehut TV YouTube channel. Mr Ward said there had already been interest from other police districts.

Inspector Julia Lynch, Counties Manukau road policing manager, said that getting the message through via children would help it filter up to drivers and other adults.

"We want to remind people to slow down at intersections and be aware of their following distance.

"We're taking it back to basics - remember that a red light means stop. Kids know this and they will remind their parents of the simplest road rules."

To view the song, go to:
http://youtu.be/LSv294AyO