New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) is rolling out three innovative initiatives for students of all ages as part of its Safety Education Program for the new school year. The initiative includes:
- Special Safety Education Awareness Training (SEAT) addresses the importance of rail safety for students with special needs.
- Protecting our Pedestrians (POP) is designed to encourage pedestrian safety for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
- Safety Rules! promotes general safety around the transit system.
“Teaching children the importance of transit safety is critical to cultivating the next generation of safety-conscious residents,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “Through a variety of age-appropriate materials, NJ Transit’s instructors educate our children to stay off railroad tracks and to be aware of buses and light-rail vehicles when walking or riding bicycles.”
“The continuing success of the Special SEAT and Protecting Our Pedestrians programs underscores NJ Transit’s unwavering commitment to safety education for students of all ages in New Jersey,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “Our goal is to foster a culture of safety and vigilance for our customers and employees, as well as those living in the communities we serve.”
Special SEAT
Special SEAT provides 40-minute training sessions delivered over several weeks as needed and is developed to educate students with special needs. Special SEAT implements a modified version of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to master awareness of transportation safety; with a specific focus on staying alert and being aware of rail and track surroundings.
The program provides:
- An engaging and interactive presentation with puppets, arts and crafts and natural environment training (NET) play
- Age-appropriate materials and videos
- Safety tips and procedures
- Meets the IDEA and Core standards
Some of the important rules Special SEAT students learn during the program are:
- No trespassing
- Stay alert
- Obey signs and signals
- Cross at designated areas only
- Stand behind the safety line on station platforms
POP
This interactive 45-minute presentation addresses crossing streets and intersections safely, traffic hazards and signals, parking lot safety and more. The presentation also includes a discussion on the dangers of the railroad tracks, age-appropriate films, including NJ Transit's video “Sly Fox and Birdie”, created by the Operation Lifesaver organization, and a question-and-answer session.
Both Special SEAT” and POP are free of charge to teachers, para-professionals, guidance counselors and school administrators.
Safety Rules!
Schools are encouraged to request the free Safety Rules! presentation to educate students on the need for safe behavior and caution around trains, buses and light-rail vehicles.
The presentation includes a discussion on the dangers of the railroad tracks, age-appropriate films, including NJ Transit's video “Sly Fox and Birdie” and a question-and-answer session. The 45-minute presentation is available for free to public, non-profit and charter schools and community groups.
