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Green Cross Code
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The Green Cross Code is a brand created by the National Road Safety Committee (now the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, RoSPA) to raise awareness of pedestrian road safety in the United Kingdom. The multimedia Green Cross Code campaign began in 1970 and continues today.
The Green Cross Code replaced the earlier Kerb Drill (below) pedestrian safety campaign; the Kerb Drill's military style ("Halt! Quick march!") was deemed confusing to children by safety authorities.
Tufty Fluffytail
[edit]
Prior to the introduction of the Green Cross campaign, a series of puppet animation public information films, featuring Tufty Fluffytail (narrated by Bernard Cribbins)[a] were in regular broadcast rotation across the UK. Tufty Fluffytail, a childlike red squirrel character, was created in 1953 by Elsie Mills to introduce clear and simple safety messages to children. The success of the character led to the creation in 1961 of the Tufty Club for children under five years of age. Under its auspices more than 30,000 Tufty books about road safety were issued to parents. At its peak there were nearly 25,000 branches of the Tufty Club throughout the UK, and by the early 1970s an estimated two million children were members. The movement continued into the 1980s.[2]
The code
[edit]The Green Cross Code itself is a short step-by-step procedure designed to enable pedestrians to cross UK roads safely. While the Code has undergone several changes over the years, the basic tenets ("Stop, Look, Listen, Think") have remained the same. The 2018 version of the Green Cross Code reads as follows:[3]
- THINK! First find the safest place to cross
- STOP! Stand on the pavement near the kerb
- USE YOUR EYES AND EARS! Look all around for traffic and listen
- WAIT UNTIL IT IS SAFE TO CROSS! If traffic is coming, let it pass
- LOOK AND LISTEN! When it is safe, go straight across the road – do not run or walk diagonally
- ARRIVE ALIVE! Keep looking and listening while you cross
Green Cross Man
[edit]| Green Cross Man | |
|---|---|
Take it from Green Cross Man | |
| First appearance | 1970 |
The Green Cross Man is a costumed superhero character created in England in mid-1970 as an aid to teaching children and young people the Green Cross Code, and for promoting general road safety via television adverts. British weight-lifting champion David Prowse (1935–2020), who went on to portray Darth Vader in the film Star Wars (1977), played the character in a series of Public Information Films sponsored by the British Government's Central Office of Information for the Department of the Environment. In one animated film from 1976 however, Peter Hawkins voiced the character. The original adverts were broadcast on British television from 1975 to 1990.
In the adverts, the "Green Cross Man" has the power to teleport from his monitoring station known as "Green Cross Control" to any location where children are in need of pedestrian road safety instruction. He accomplishes this by use of a wristwatch-like "dematerialiser" device. On these missions he is sometimes accompanied by a robot companion known as the Green Cross Droid. His signature exclamation of surprise or disbelief is "Green Crosses!" and his slogan is "I won't be there when YOU cross the road, so always use the Green Cross Code". The first two adverts in the series had Prowse's voice dubbed by another actor due to his pronounced Bristol accent.[4] In the third advert he appeared using his own voice.[5]
In 2014, the Green Cross Man was revived, with Prowse playing the character in his 80th year, in two adverts produced for Road Safety Week in the United Kingdom.[6] The new campaign was targeted at young adults alerting them to the danger of pedestrian accidents caused by distraction from using smartphones, and wearing headphones to listen to music whilst crossing roads.[7]
Other campaigns
[edit]In 1976, actor Jon Pertwee appeared in a PIF for the Green Cross Code introducing the mnemonic "SPLINK", which stood for:[8]
- (First find a) Safe (place to cross, then stop)
- (Stand on the) Pavement (near the kerb)
- Look (all round for traffic and listen)
- If (traffic is coming, let it pass)
- (When there is) No (traffic near, walk straight across the road)
- Keep (looking and listening for traffic while you cross).
The film was later updated to cartoon form, voiced by Derek Griffiths.[9]
In 1983, the television adverts employed a "Green Cross Code" rap based on the hit "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash. The original lyrics of "Don't push me cos I'm close to the edge" were replaced with "Don't step out when you're close to the edge." The advert was re-released for its 10th anniversary in 1993 with slightly different lyrics.
Other UK celebrities who have appeared in "Green Cross Code" PSAs include boxer Joe Bugner, vocalist Les Gray of the band Mud, footballer Kevin Keegan, and singer Alvin Stardust. These adverts used the banner "Be Smart...Be Safe."
Kerb Drill
[edit]Before the Green Cross Code, The Kerb Drill was a procedure for pedestrians to cross streets safely, developed by Jocelyn Arthur Adair Pickard (1885–1962), a former Royal Engineer who became Director-General of RoSPA.[10][11] The Kerb Drill encouraged pedestrians to look before they cross:
At the kerb halt!
Eyes right,
Eyes left,
Eyes right again.
If the road is clear,
Quick march—walk straight across.
The repeated look to the right is to check again for a vehicle in the closest lane. In countries that drive on the right-hand side of the road, "left" and "right" would need to be reversed.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Furry Folk on Holiday". Carey Blyton. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ National Archive: Tufty Under 5’s – Ice Cream Van
- ^ The Green Cross Code
- ^ IArcade (2 September 2007). Green Cross Code 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ IArcade (2 September 2007). Green Cross Code 3. Retrieved 24 October 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ BBC News: Green Cross Code Man Back On Screen
- ^ Наталья Семененко (20 November 2014). David Prowse RETURNS as The Green Cross... Retrieved 24 October 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Public Information Films | 1964 to 1979 | Film index | SPLINK – Jon Pertwee | accessdate = 4 December 2012
- ^ UK Public Information Film: SPLINK on YouTube
- ^ Trailer – Kerb Drill. AP. British Movietone. 17 February 2012 [Creation date: 3 June 1946].
- ^ "Lieut.-Col. J. A. A. Pickard, CBE DSO" (PDF). The Royal Engineers Journal. LXXVI: 226–7. June 1962.
External links
[edit]- Hedgehogs.gov.uk(The 2005 Green Cross Code website)
- RoSPA
- Think! Road Safety (UK Department for Transport)
- Official Website of David Prowse
- Public information films from the BBC
Green Cross Code
View on GrokipediaHistory
Origins and Predecessors
The Kerb Drill emerged as a key pedestrian safety measure in the United Kingdom during World War II, introduced in 1942 by the Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).[4] This military-style procedure was designed to teach children disciplined road-crossing habits amid wartime hazards like blackouts and increased vehicle traffic, drawing on drill commands to instill caution. Its five core steps were: (1) halt at the kerb; (2) look right; (3) look left; (4) look right again; and (5) if clear, quick march across without rushing.[5] The approach was promoted through public information films, school programs, and even board games, reflecting a governmental push for standardized safety training in an era of rising road risks.[4] In the post-war period, child pedestrian safety remained a pressing concern, with road fatalities among children highlighting the limitations of earlier measures. Between 1927 and 1937, over 14,000 children were killed on UK roads, averaging more than 1,000 deaths annually during the 1930s.[4] Although numbers declined below 1,000 after 1947, they stayed alarmingly high into the 1950s and 1960s, with approximately 500-600 child road deaths reported each year by the mid-1960s, many involving pedestrians amid booming car ownership and urban expansion.[6] These statistics underscored the need for more effective, age-appropriate education beyond the rigid Kerb Drill, prompting shifts toward engaging, narrative-based methods to better capture young children's attention. Influential precursors included RoSPA's development of child-friendly initiatives, such as the creation of the Tufty character in 1953 and the launch of the Tufty Club in 1961, which used storytelling and puppets to teach road safety to under-fives.[7] Enrolling over 50,000 members in its first year, the club represented a move away from drill-like instruction toward interactive learning.[4] In 1965, the Ministry of Transport established regional road safety committees to coordinate national efforts, emphasizing adaptable, child-centered strategies over outdated military formats.[8] These developments laid the groundwork for the Green Cross Code's introduction in 1970 as a more dynamic replacement.Launch and Early Development
The Green Cross Code was launched in April 1971 by the National Road Safety Committee, serving as a replacement for the earlier Kerb Drill, which had been criticized for its military-style instructions that confused young children.[2][4] Developed after 18 months of research involving the Road Research Laboratory, RoSPA, and the Department of Education and Science, the code aimed to provide a simpler, more child-friendly set of pedestrian safety guidelines amid rising road traffic casualties.[4] Initial promotion efforts focused on widespread distribution through schools, with materials including films, brochures, certificates, cartoons, wallcharts, and television fillers as part of a £500,000 three-month saturation campaign coordinated by the Central Office of Information in 1971.[4][9] These resources were supplemented by posters and public exhibitions to embed the code in educational programs, emphasizing practical road-crossing behaviors for children under nine who struggled with directional concepts in prior campaigns.[4] In the early 1970s, the code underwent modifications based on feedback from pilot testing funded by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory and the Department of the Environment, including the addition of a "Think" step as the first instruction to better address increasing traffic complexity and encourage situational awareness.[2][4] The National Road Safety Committee, responsible for the initiative, was later integrated into the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), ensuring continued oversight of pedestrian safety education.[10]The Code
Core Steps
The Green Cross Code consists of six core steps designed to guide pedestrians, particularly children, in safely crossing roads by promoting awareness and caution. Introduced in 1970, this sequence simplified pedestrian safety instructions to make them more accessible and memorable compared to prior methods.[2] The steps emphasize a systematic approach: assessing the location, preparing to observe, checking for hazards, confirming safety, crossing attentively, and maintaining vigilance throughout. This structure evolved from the earlier Kerb Drill, which featured five more formal, military-style commands (Halt! Eyes right! Eyes left! Eyes right again! Quick march!), deemed less intuitive for young learners.[5]- Find a safe place to cross (Think!): The first step involves selecting an optimal location, such as a designated pedestrian crossing, a well-lit area with clear visibility, or a spot away from obstacles like parked cars or road bends that could obscure approaching traffic. This initial assessment minimizes risks by ensuring the pedestrian can see and be seen, prioritizing spots where the road ahead is straight and unobstructed.[2][11]
- Stand on the pavement near the kerb (Stop!): Position yourself at the edge of the pavement, one step back from the kerb to avoid stepping into the road prematurely. This creates a buffer zone, allowing time to evaluate the situation without encroaching on traffic flow and reducing the chance of accidental contact with vehicles.[2][11]
- Look all around and listen for traffic (Look and listen!): Scan in all directions—right, left, and right again—while actively listening for sounds of vehicles, including cars, bicycles, e-scooters, motorcyclists, or emergency services. This step addresses threats from multi-directional traffic, especially near junctions where vehicles may turn unexpectedly from side roads, ensuring comprehensive hazard detection before proceeding.[2][11][1]
- Wait until it is safe to cross (Wait!): Let all approaching traffic pass until there is a clear and safe gap. If using a crossing, wait for vehicles to stop or the signal to change. Look and listen again to confirm no hazards are approaching before deciding to proceed. Do not judge vehicle speeds or rush.[2][11][1]
- Look and listen again before crossing (Go straight across!): When traffic has cleared, walk straight across the road at a steady pace, perpendicular to the traffic flow. Continue looking and listening for any emerging threats, such as turning vehicles, cyclists, or e-scooters, especially near junctions. Do not run or cross diagonally to maintain visibility to drivers.[2][11][1]
- Arrive alive!: Keep looking and listening for traffic until you have safely reached the opposite pavement. Stay close to the kerb if possible to minimize time in the road and avoid straying into lanes.[2][11][1]
