SINGAPORE - Pre-school pupils will be taught about road safety through a new programme that was launched on Monday.

The road safety programme by insurer AIG, conducted by facilitators from the Singapore Toy Club, aims to teach children, between the ages of four and six, road safety values such as road traffic rules and identifying and interpreting road signs using mini road signs and battery-operated cars.

The programme is expected to be rolled out to 25 kindergartens and reach 2,000 by the end of 2015.

For a start, 45 pre-school children at My Little Gems Kindergarten took on the roles of motorists and pedestrians in the launch of the programme on Monday.

AIG chief executive Matt Harris said: "Forty-three pedestrians died on Singapore roads in 2013, which is far too high. Kids pick up things quickly so we hope to teach them positive behaviour."