"Rural children have quite different environments in terms of safety," Clutha Valley School principal Val Ward said at the school’s Rural Safety day, last week.
Fourteen modules taught the primary school pupils care with what they were likely to encounter, from quadbikes to farm chemicals.
Other modules included boating, motorcycles, firearms, trailers, animal safety, electrical power line, truck, ute and tractor safety, with representatives from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Hato Hone St John, New Zealand Police and LandSAR.
The event was marshalled by author and Think Safe Brain campaign founder Harriet Bremner Pinckney.
"I think as health and safety has become its own industrial sector, there’s been a loss of engagement," the Te Anau station farmer and former teacher said.
"This teaches the ‘why’ behind the ‘don’t!’ ... Nothing’s more important to us than our children, so if the kids are informed and able to keep an eye on safety standards, we know the grown-ups will listen."
