Green Cross Code facts for kids
The Green Cross Code is a special set of rules for pedestrians. It helps people cross roads safely in the United Kingdom. The National Road Safety Committee, now called the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), created it. The Green Cross Code campaign started in 1970 and is still used today.
It replaced an older safety campaign called the Kerb Drill. The Kerb Drill had a military style that was confusing for children.
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Tufty Fluffytail: A Safety Squirrel
Before the Green Cross Code, a friendly squirrel named Tufty Fluffytail taught road safety. Tufty was a cartoon character created in 1953 by Elsie Mills. He starred in short animated films shown on TV across the UK. These films taught simple safety messages to children.
Tufty's popularity led to the Tufty Club, started in 1961. This club was for children under five years old. Over 30,000 Tufty books about road safety were given to parents. At its busiest, there were nearly 25,000 Tufty Club groups in the UK. By the early 1970s, about two million children were members. The Tufty Club continued until the 1980s.
The Green Cross Code Steps
The Green Cross Code is a simple, step-by-step guide. It helps people cross streets safely. The main ideas, like "Stop, Look, Listen, Think," have stayed the same over the years.
Here is the 2018 version of the Green Cross Code:
- 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
- ARRIVE ALIVE! Keep looking and listening
Green Cross Man: The Road Safety Hero
Quick facts for kids Green Cross Man |
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Take it from Green Cross Man
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| First appearance | 1970 |
The Green Cross Man is a superhero character. He was created in England in 1970. His job was to help teach children the Green Cross Code. He also promoted general road safety through TV adverts. British actor David Prowse played the Green Cross Man. David Prowse later played Darth Vader in the Star Wars movie.
The British Government's Central Office of Information sponsored these adverts. They were shown on British TV from 1975 to 1990.
In the adverts, the Green Cross Man could instantly move from his control center to anywhere. He would appear where children needed road safety lessons. He used a special wristwatch device to do this. Sometimes, a robot friend joined him on his missions. His catchphrase was "I won't be there when you cross the road, so always use the Green Cross Code."
In 2014, the Green Cross Man adverts were brought back. David Prowse, at 80 years old, played the character again. The new campaign aimed at young adults. It warned them about dangers from using smartphones or wearing headphones while crossing roads. These distractions can cause accidents.
Other Road Safety Campaigns
Many other campaigns have helped teach the Green Cross Code.
SPLINK Mnemonic
In 1976, actor Jon Pertwee appeared in a Green Cross Code advert. He was famous for playing the Third Doctor in Doctor Who. He introduced a memory trick called "SPLINK."
SPLINK stood for:
- (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).
Later, this film was made into a cartoon. Derek Griffiths provided the voice.
Green Cross Code Rap
In 1983, TV adverts used a "Green Cross Code" rap song. It was based on the popular song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash. The lyrics were changed to "Don't step out when you're close to the edge." This advert was re-released in 1993 for its 10th anniversary.
Other famous people in the UK also appeared in Green Cross Code adverts. These included boxer Joe Bugner and singers Les Gray and Alvin Stardust. Footballer Kevin Keegan also helped. These adverts used the slogan Be Smart...Be Safe.
Kerb Drill: The Original Safety Method
The Kerb Drill was an older way for pedestrians to cross streets safely. Jocelyn Arthur Adair Pickard developed it. He was a former Royal Engineer who became a director at RoSPA. Since it started in the UK, it was designed for countries where cars drive on the left side of the road.
The Kerb Drill encouraged pedestrians to look carefully before crossing:
At the curb, halt!
Eyes right,
Eyes left,
Eyes right again.
If the road is clear,
Quick march—walk straight across.
The repeated look to the right was to check again for cars in the closest lane. In countries where cars drive on the right side of the road, the Kerb Drill would be:
- Stop at the curb. Look left, look right, look left again. If the road is clear, quickly cross.
