Teaching Children Road Safety
It is essential that before children are ready for school, they know at least some things about road safety. This includes everything from knowing about traffic lights to how they should cross a busy intersection, to finding out about rules of the street as well as know when it is safe to go across hidden entrances and drive ways. These are only some of the things that children should know about road safety.
One thing you need to remember before teaching children road safety is to know whether or not they have had any traumatic experience regarding any roadside incident. If that is the case, then you will need to be ultra-sensitive towards their feelings and thoughts. Be sure to talk to them about it before trying to teach them anything.
The question that may come to your mind is this, ‘how can you go about teaching children the skills and knowledge required to be safe outside their homes?’ Here is all you need to know.
Safe Cross Code
The safe cross code is something that children can learn easily and quickly and which will help the children remember specific road rules. It’s a combination of song, dance and game that children can learn in order to find out about how they can stay safe on streets and roads. Here is the safe cross code song:
One, two, three, safe cross
Four, five, six safe cross
One, two, three, four, five, six, Safe Cross Code
Remember…
One-Look for a safe place
Two- Don’t hurry stop and wait
Three- Look all around and listen before you cross the road, remember
Four- Let all the traffic pass you
Five- Then walking straight across you
Six- Keep watching, that’s the Safe Cross Code
Safe place Stop and Wait
Safe place Stop and Wait
Safe ground Look Around
Listen for a traffic sound
If traffic’s coming Let It Pass
Until the road is Clear at Last
Then Walking straight across the road
Keep Watching, That’s the Code
This is the song that your little ones can learn and then start practicing every time you take them out of the house. There is a tune available online that you can check out and then help your children learn.
Safety on the Roads
The most important thing that you will need your child to learn is how to cross a busy or even an empty street safely. Here are the easiest ways to help them understand the rules and requirements of crossing streets and roads:
- The first thing that a child needs to do is look at both sides of the road and check where it is safe to cross from. Pedestrian crossings or a crossing patrol are the safest places to cross from one side of the road to the next
- Nobody should cross roads when the signal is for the cars to pass. This could result in serious injury or accident
- If the child isn’t able to see far, they should not cross the road from that part
- Trying to cross between parked cars is never a good option because they cars can suddenly start moving and drivers won’t be able to see small children on the road
- Once you have taught the child some basics, let them make their own decisions. This way they will learn faster and quicker about what to do in which situation
- Always make sure you follow rules yourself so that the child can learn from experience
Pavement Safety
Pavements are supposed to be complete safe since there are no cars around to disrupt the area. But research shows that this false sense of security can lead to hazardous accidents. Here are some rules for pavement safety:
- The major thing that you need to keep in mind as the adult is to hold the hand of a child at all times, no matter how quiet or peaceful the pavement may seem
- Tell children about driveways and hidden entrances so that they know what to look out for at all times. Drivers can suddenly back their cars out so the children need to see before crossing any such area
- Also teach the child to always walk on a pavement when there is one and never on the road
Car Safety
Never ever travel with a little child without proper car seats. If you do not have child car seat, then invest in one. If the child is older, make sure they are always strapped into the seat with seat belts. This would ensure that if there is some jerk or accident, the child would be safe in the car and would not roll out or hurt themselves.
Help the kids understand traffic rules while they are in the car with you. This is the perfect time to let them know about road signal rules like the lights and what they mean, what is zebra crossing or pedestrian crossing and other such things. With repeated sessions, children will quickly know the important rules and regulations of the road. You can also buy some CDs or download apps that inform children about traffic rules and what they need to remember in order to stay safe. Since they contain lots of songs and fun animations, children are not only going to enjoy looking at them but also learn a lot from them because they will be easy to understand.
Lastly, make sure that a child does not cross the road alone until they have mastered the road safety. The child will be 8 years old by the time they are mature enough to cross some roads on their own. So do not let go of a small child’s hand before they are fully trained. Schools also have road safety seminars for little ones. If you think your child’s school hasn’t started such program talk to them about it and ask them to introduce it as soon as possible. This too is going to help the child master road safety.
Stay safe and keep your little ones secure.
© Teresa Boardman, Nanny Options.
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