Teaching road safety for six decades
The road isn’t really the safest place for kids to learn about road safety and pick up new skills.
So, in 1964, the South Australian Police (SAPOL) Road Safety Centre was established in the area now bounded by Port Road, the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the train line from Adelaide Railway Station.
It included a mock roadway replicating the signals, signs and other infrastructure found on public roads.
It was an ideal spot for children to learn about road safety in a safe, controlled environment.
In 2013, the centre was relocated to the Thebarton Police Barracks, and a new mock roadway was built in nearby Bonython Park, beside Port Road. The good work continued.
However, this area is now the Women’s and Children’s Hospital construction site and the safety centre has moved to Military Road, West Beach, between the mini golf and caravan park.
A new home for the Road Safety Centre
This latest mock roadway includes stop signs, pedestrian crossings, functioning traffic lights, a railway crossing and even a roundabout.
It’s open to the public, free of charge, from 8–10am and 2.30pm-6pm on weekdays, and 8am-6pm on weekends. During daylight saving it’s open until 8pm.
These times are only a guide, so it’s best to check with the safety centre before you visit, by phoning 8207 6923 or emailing SAPOL.RoadSafetySection@police.sa.gov.au.
BYO bikes and approved helmets.
The South Australia Police Road Safety Centre also offers a range of programs, including a school holiday program with practical training on the mock roadway.
The Bonython Park roadway is still open to the public, but the traffic signals aren’t operating.