#3 – Set strategic, tactical and operational goals

Back to the Key Principles

Specific goals for traffic safety and mobility education should be set. These specific goals should be set for each level of education and for each type of road user. These goals should be strategically set at national level as minimum learning requirements, based upon which the individual intervention’s operational objectives can be established.

The goals should not only be about attaining knowledge regarding traffic safety and mobility, but also ensure that the pupils learn the skills and behaviour necessary to participate safely in traffic (see also Principle #9). The goals should also take into account and reflect new developments, such as new safety risks and new modes of mobility.

Setting goals is of great importance for the proper evaluation of both national strategies and individual interventions.

The LEARN! Manual provides guidance, recommendations and inspiration on setting objectives for educational activities on traffic safety and mobility, notably in Step 2 of the Manual’s model for developing and evaluating educational material. The chapter in the Manual covers formulating outcomes, objectives and output objectives, as well as having a first look at the test and evaluation designs (which are set out in more detail in Step 5 and Step 8 respectively. It also recommends conducting a baseline measurement and provides guidance on it.

Important to note is that the LEARN! Manual underlines that the objectives set for the educational activity should contribute towards achieving the goals set out at national or regional level.

The Manual also contains several examples setting out how members of the LEARN! Expert Panel set objectives for their material. These examples are available in the LEARN! Database of best practice examples.

BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLE

The Netherlands – The Dutch Learning Goals for Lifelong Road Safety Education

A policy document initially set out core aims – providing a broad description of the traffic education approach that should be taken – for six target groups (0-4 years old; 4-12; 12-16; 16-25; 25-60; 60+).

The Dutch Ministry of Transport subsequently ordered a document setting out concrete learning and educational goals based on those core aims, to guide and be used by both regional policy makers and developers of educational material. The document underlines that the goals were designed to be carried out by multiple entities; not only education in schools, but also at home or in social clubs.

In the context of lifelong learning, it also underlines the importance of seamless continuity between the different learning goals of different target groups.

Further Information

Van Betuw & Vissers (2002), Naar een succesvolle invoering van Permanente Verkeerseducatie.

Van Betuw, Vissers, Nägele, Kooistra & Harteveld (2007), Learning goals for lifelong road safety education.

The best practice examples are not yet available on the mobile version of the website. Please visit the website on a tablet, desktop or laptop to see them.

Back to the Key Principles