Little Blue Dinosaur road safety campaign launches across the Kempsey Shire

The campaign, Holiday Time: Slow Down, Kids Around, encourages parents and road users to be mindful of children around traffic in holiday areas.

The Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation was founded by the McLaughlin family following the tragic death of their four-year-old son Thomas who passed away due to a pedestrian road accident on the Central Coast in 2014.

CEO and founder of Little Blue Dinosaur, Michelle McLaughlin, said holiday periods are when there is an increased risk of pedestrian traffic accidents.

"Our son Tom wasn't a risk taker and he always held our hands when crossing the road, but children can become excited and can be unpredictable when in a new environment," she said.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare the most common cause of death for children aged between one and 14 is road accidents, including pedestrian accidents.

"Children are the most vulnerable group of pedestrians due to their hearing, slower reflexes, peripheral vision and their height which can make them difficult to see. All of these factors remain a problem until the age of around 10," Michelle said.

"The holiday period can also be a time when parents relax because they're in holiday mode, but road safety needs to be a focus 365 days a year."

The Holiday Time: Slow Down, Kids Around campaign has now been introduced in 65 Local Government Areas across four states, with Kempsey Shire Council launching the initiative across its five Holiday Parks.

"We're very grateful for Kempsey Shire Council helping spread the campaign and introduce it across the Macleay," Michelle said.

Deputy Mayor Anthony Patterson attended the launch on Thursday and said council is proud to be extending the campaign across local tourist hot spots in the Macleay.

"Our Holiday Parks are very popular, especially during the summer holiday period, and we are expecting them to be even busier this year," he said.

"Three of our five holiday parks have busy roads that go through them and this campaign is aiming to remind motorists to slow down around these areas. We want to ensure that we are all safe during the holiday period."

The campaign includes the distribution of posters and signage around key tourist areas and serves as an important reminder to the community about the importance of children's safety around roads.

"After the death of our son in 2014, we wanted to do something positive to try and prevent other children and families going through what we did. It's a small, but vital preventable measure to ensure the safety of children around roads," Michelle said.