Children’s Safety on the Road: Twelve Rules

Every child eventually begins to walk in the street by himself, and he must be taught the rules of safety

It is difficult for parents to keep a child safe because they cannot always be around. Parents ensure their child’s safety at home, but at school this task falls on the shoulders of teachers. But who is responsible for a child’s safety on the road? Whether your child walks to school alone or you give them a ride in your car, they need to know the rules of the road.

We’ve compiled the most important traffic and safety rules in this article. You can teach them to your children.

The importance of road safety rules for children

Unlike adults, children, because of their age, do not yet know what they can and cannot do on the roads. Without adult supervision and knowledge of the rules of the road, children can put themselves at risk. Statistics show that 3% of victims of traffic accidents are children.

When it comes to children’s safety, there can be no compromise. By the time your child is old enough to leave the house on their own, you should be teaching them about road safety. When walking with your child, make sure he or she understands the rules correctly.

Consider the basic rules of road safety that will be helpful for your child.

12 Road Safety Rules for Kids

While children should know the rules of road safety, they shouldn’t be given more information than they’re willing to absorb. Start with a few simple rules.

1. pay attention to traffic signals

Tell your child what each traffic light color means:

green means “go.” Only when the light on the traffic light is green can cars go;
red means “stop.” When the light is red, all cars stop;
yellow means “slow down”. When the yellow light on the traffic light comes on, cars must slow down and prepare to stop;
the image of a person walking at an intersection is for pedestrians. You can cross the road only when it is green. But before that you should look to the left and to the right to make sure that there is no car approaching you;
Do not cross the road when the image with the standing person is red.

2. stop, look, and cross the road

On the way to school, a child may have to cross the road. Therefore, you need to teach your child how to cross the road safely.

Explain to your child that you can only cross the road at a crosswalk at a green traffic light. If there is no traffic light near the crossing, the child must follow these rules:

look to the right and then to the left to see if a car is coming nearby;
if a car is coming, you must let it pass, and only then cross the road;
you must not cross the road on a turn;
You must not cross the road between two standing vehicles.
Until the age of six, the child should cross the road only with adults and hold their hand.

3 Be attentive. Not only look around, but also listen.

Explain to your child that he can’t always see the oncoming car. Therefore, before crossing the road, he should listen to see if a car is approaching. Explain to the child that he must follow these rules:

If a child hears a sound made by a car, he should stop and look to the left and then to the right;
Explain to the child how to distinguish between sounds: A loud engine noise means that the car is nearby, and a quiet noise means that the car is far away.

4. You should not run out onto the road

Children can be impatient, sometimes they run across the road to get to the other side of the street faster. A child may also run out onto the road while playing.

Explain to the child that they should not run across the road in an unintended place or walk on it. A child can easily get distracted and let go of your hand when you are crossing, or simply run away from you. Teach your child to always stay calm when you are walking down the street and never run away from you.

5. Walk on sidewalks.

Teach your child to only walk on sidewalks when they are walking down the street. Set a good example for him: cross the road only on the crosswalk. Whether you’re walking on a busy street or not, walk only on the sidewalk to stay safe.

6. Cross the road in a crosswalk only

Children often run anywhere on the street. This can be dangerous: cars don’t slow down if there is no traffic light or warning sign nearby. Explain to your child that you can cross the road only at traffic lights or crosswalks. If there is no traffic light nearby, the child must follow the rules above.

7. When riding in the car, keep your hands out the window

Children often stick their hands out of the window when driving in a car. Older children may even stick their heads out to wave at oncoming cars or yell something. Children think this is funny, but it can actually be very dangerous. A child can be injured by a car that is coming toward them.

8. Never cross the road on curves.

U-turns are blind spots for drivers. If a child is crossing on a curve, the driver doesn’t have enough time to spot him or her and slow down. Explain to your child that you can’t cross the road in a curve because it’s dangerous.

9. Observe safety rules when riding a bicycle

If your child is big enough to ride a bicycle on their own, make sure they know the safety rules:

Your child should always wear a helmet before getting on the bike;
Check that the bicycle is in good working order when your child is going for a ride. Pay particular attention to whether the brakes work. If your child rides at night, check to see if the light is working and if the reflective parts are installed.
Do not let your child ride a bicycle on busy streets without your supervision.

10. Observe safety rules when riding in the car

You can keep your child safe in the car by installing a car seat or making sure your child is wearing a seat belt. To keep your child safe in a vehicle, teach him or her the following rules:

The child should not walk around the interior of the vehicle (shuttle, bus, etc.);
if the child is standing on the bus or minibus, he/she must hold on to the handrail until it stops;
the child must not stick his/her hands or head out of the window of a moving car or bus.

11. be visible at all times.

If your child is going out in the evening, wearing black clothing is a bad idea. The child will be safe if drivers can see them clearly, even at dusk:

if the child is walking or biking in the evening, his clothing should be light-colored or contain reflective elements;
During the day, the child must wear brightly colored clothing;
if the child enters a bus or shuttle bus, he/she should wave his/her hand, giving the driver a sign.

12. don’t rush.

A child may be in a hurry to catch up with someone on the street or to get somewhere on time. This can be dangerous for him. Teach your child the following rules:

A child should not rush when getting into or out of a car – it can be dangerous;
When your child is walking by your hand, he should not be distracted or pull you in any direction;
when your child walks on his or her own, he or she should not rush;
the child should not open the car doors by himself/herself, but only after you let him/her;
The child should not play or play around in the bus or on the roadway.
7 tips to help your child stay safe on the roads

In addition to teaching your child the safety rules, stick to the following tips.

1. Always wear a child’s seatbelt in the car. If he or she is young, use a car seat.
2. When your child is sitting in the car, lock the doors so they can’t open them as they go.
3. Teach your child all the rules hands-on. For example, take him on bicycle rides to teach him how to ride safely by example.
4. Be patient when walking with your child. Set an example of calm behavior so that your child is not in a hurry.
5. Be punctual. This will help you stay on speed limits and drive safely.
6. Do not use a cell phone or other gadgets while driving.
7. Never leave your child alone in the car.

Games and activities to teach your child about road safety

Play is the best way to teach your child something important. Let’s look at a few games and activities you can use to teach your child about road safety.

1. discussion. Tell your child fictional situations and ask what he or she would do. For example: “During a game, a ball rolled out onto the road. What will you do?” or “You are late for school. Will you run to make it?” Listen carefully to what the child answers.
2. Draw a poster of road signs with your child. This will help your child remember them better.
3. To memorize the rules of road safety, road signs, etc., you can make up a poem or song with your child.

4. For older children a good way to learn safety rules can be crossword puzzles. You can find examples online.
5. When you walk outside with your child, suggest that he or she guess the sounds you hear around him or her.
6. To teach your child the rules, use worksheets with tests and assignments. You can download such tests for different age groups.

A few facts about road safety

1. Pedestrians or cyclists are the victims in 50% of traffic accidents.
2. Wearing a helmet for cyclists reduces the likelihood of serious injury in a collision by 40%.
3. Adhering to speed limits reduces the likelihood of injury during a collision.
4. Children’s car seats reduce the risk of injury to children in crashes by 54 to 80%.
5. Proper use of seat belts reduces the risk of injury by 51%.
6. When you reduce your speed by 1 km/h, you reduce the risk of an accident by 2%.

Make learning safety rules a fun activity for your child. Otherwise, the child will not perceive what you tell him. You can join forces with other parents and organize lessons that teach children the rules of road safety. Children tend to have a strong imagination. They can exaggerate what you tell them. So be careful: your job is to teach your child, not to scare them.