Lessons on road safety for them

POLOKWANE – As part of a month of safety campaigns hosted by the Association for People with Disabilities (APD), residents of Centenary House attended a road safety lesson last Thursday.

According to Johnny Graham, APD public awareness and educational officer, the centre hosted awareness campaigns throughout the month of March, as part of celebrating Intellectual Disability Awareness Month to educate people living with a disability on safety measures.

Betty Emslie, a training section assistant superintendent at the Polokwane municipal traffic department, taught the residents how to stay safe when they used the roads.

Emslie presented her lesson in multiple languages and on a level that ensured that everyone was able to participate and understand. Graham said the session went well and he was happy to see that residents understood what they were told.

In her presentation Emslie said residents should pay full attention when walking near busy roads to avoid being hit by vehicles.

“Safety is what we strive for and we urge people to follow the road rules and adhere to road signs to stay safe at all times. Pedestrians should wear bright colours when walking at night so that motorists can see them from a distance,” she said.

One of the residents, Kiewiet du Preez drew a traffic light before the road safety session to show Emslie that he still remembered some of the things they spoke about during a previous safety lesson last year.

He presented the drawing to Emslie and requested that she keep it safe for future use.

Graham thanked everyone who assisted the centre.

“I would like to thank the Polokwane Provincial Hospital dental department, Polokwane fire department, Polokwane disaster management, Polokwane police station and Polokwane traffic department for their visits to Centenary House and the workshops they held during Intellectual Disability Awareness Month,” said Graham.