Road safety - a parents guide

Children will learn from their parents’ example on road safety. Follow these steps carefully and you’ll do a great deal to protect your children and help them develop the survival skills they need to cope safely.

Ages one to four – protect your child

Protection

Never let a child under five out alone – even with an older child.
Choose somewhere safe for them to play – not on the pavement or in the road.
When you go out, make sure your child is on the inside of the pavement, keeping a tight hold of your hand if not in a pushchair.

Set a good example

Talk to your child about stopping at the kerb, looking and listening for traffic before crossing the road.
Explain the difference between the road and the pavement and what traffic is – the road is for traffic and the pavement for people.

In this section

Explain that sometimes the traffic crosses the pavement, so always look out.
Ask the road safety officer at your local council offices if there’s a traffic club or other road safety programme for pre-school children.

Ages five to six – the basic training

Basic training

When you’re out walking with your child, talk about what you’re doing and why.

Teach the main points of the Green Cross Code:

STOP!
LOOK!
LISTEN!

Practise on quiet roads near home.
Show your child what to do.
Next let you child lead you across.
Finally, let him or her cross while you wait behind watching carefully.

Starting school

The risk of road accident increases when children start school.
Make sure an adult is with them when they cross the road. They are not ready to cross alone.
Set up a rota with two or three other parents and share taking the children to and from school.
Take the safest route to school, crossing the road at the safest places and explain why.

Ages 7 to 9 – the Green Cross Code

Now for the code

When you’re sure your child knows and understands them, let him or her start by crossing the quiet roads where you’ve been practising.
Watch and test before allowing the child to cross alone.
Later, start to practise crossing busier roads together. Do this many, many times before you let your child cross alone.
The age when children can use and understand the Green Cross Code is different for each child. Many children can’t judge how fast vehicles are going or how far away they are.
Children learn by example, so parents and carers should always use the Code in full when out with their children.
Because children are still developing the skills to judge the speed and distance of vehicles, children under 11 should not be cycling in traffic.

Extra safety aids

Once children are ready to make the journey to school alone, reduce the risk of accidents by making them easily seen.
Bright or fluorescent clothes show up best by day, especially in dull or misty weather, but fluorescent clothing doesn’t work after dark. Reflective material does. Explain to them why they should always wear something bright or fluorescent, especially at night.

Ages 10 to 15 – help them to help themselves

Helping them to help themselves

Keep talking to your child about the dangers of traffic. Point out people who are endangering themselves or others.
Check the routes to school and discuss together how to deal with any dangers.
Get your child to practise judging speed and distance of approaching vehicles on a busy road and identifying safe gaps for crossing.
Stress they should never blindly follow others across the road. They must always think for themselves.
Road safety at school
Ask your child’s teacher or one of the school governors about road safety education at school.
There are many opportunities for teaching road safety in subjects like maths and science. This can raise your children’s awareness of risks, help encourage responsible attitudes to safety and reinforce your own road safety training with them.

Safe cycling

Ask what cycle training courses are available at school and encourage your child to take one.
Make sure your child wears a cycle helmet and wear one yourself if you ride a bicycle.
Encourage your child to maintain his or her bike. But you should regularly check the brakes, lights, tyres and the height of the seat.
Skating, roller-blading and skate boarding
Skate boarding and skating can also be dangerous. Keep your children from skating or boarding in the road.
Encourage children to use a helmet and wrist guards.