Road safety tips every child should know

NEWCASTLE – As parents, it’s natural to worry about your child when they leave the house.

Whether in the schoolyard, visiting friends or even crossing the road, we have to equip future generations to practice caution and protect themselves when we can’t be there.

Here are some essential tips for road safety in children:

Always pay attention

This blanket rule could just about cover it. Teach your children from early on to pay attention to their surroundings, especially where vehicles are concerned. This stretches to looking left and right when crossing the road, paying attention to vehicles which may be reversing and general situational awareness.

Teach road markings and signs

From early on, children should know and understand road markings and signage, such as a stop sign and why they should obey it. Teaching them the dynamics of a pedestrian crossing and a traffic light could prove critically important.

Walk, don’t run

Patience is a virtue – a cliché which still holds true. Your children should always take things at a walk; running on the pavement could result in a fall or rushing into a problem. This tip fits into point one above, to do with paying attention to one’s surroundings.

Don’t jaywalk

Take it from a journalist, jaywalking is dangerous. Crossing the road at intersections (when the signal is green and the coast is clear) and at pedestrian crossings is far safer than dodging speeding vehicles. Being struck by a car is not a pretty sight.

Be visible

While taking all necessary precautions is paramount to keeping your child road-savvy, sometimes motorists need a heads-up. Being visible includes wearing bright or reflective clothing in the evening, signalling drivers if you are at a crossing and generally ensuring a motorist can see you clearly.