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Introduction
It is recognised that nowadays, children, due to the increased ownership of televisions and computers, are inclined to spend more time indoors than was previously true. This results in a lack of practical experience, when they are old enough, to travel unaccompanied.
They undoubtably need the freedom to use the roads for their social development, and the exercise for their general health and fitness, and as a result it is increasingly more important that children should have more knowledge available to them to enable them to walk or cycle in safety.
How you can help to improve Road Safety
Do you drive your children to School ?
Every year, hundreds of children are killed or injured trying to get to and from their school.
Many are subjected to unecessary hazards by inconsiderate parents who stop their cars outside school entrances to set down or pick up passengers.
Are you one of those Parents ?
School Keep Clear Markings
In an attempt to ensure that children can cross the road to and from their school safely, SCHOOL KEEP CLEAR markings are placed on the road surface outside the school entrance. These markings not only highlight the school entrance to other road users, but also indicate an area that should be kept clear of stationary vehicles. This allows approaching drivers to see a child standing on the pavement waiting to cross and it also allows the child to see the approaching traffic. Parking or stopping in these designated areas is potentially dangerous.
How can you help ?
- Give yourself plenty of time to get to school
- If there is congestion near the school, park a little further away and walk
- Do not stop or park on SCHOOL KEEP CLEAR markings, even to set down or pick up passengers
- Avoid parking on the opposite side of the road to these markings
- Do not reverse your car into school entrances in order to turn around
- Do not double park outside schools
School entrances should be kept clear by drivers. Inconsiderate parking could prove very dangerous for children.
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Other Problems Outside Schools
Apart from avoiding SCHOOL KEEP CLEAR markings you can help to improve Road Safety outside schools in other ways.
- Wherever you park your car, do not block driveways or access roads
- Do not park adjacent or close to traffic islands
- Always make sure that children only get in or out of the car on the pavement side
- Check for passing vehicles (especially cyclists) before opening the doors !
School Crossing Patrols
Many schools have a "lollipop" person operating nearby. Wherever you know a Crossing Patroloperates, please give them every consideration and assistance by :
- Parking well away from them (they need to see and be seen by approaching traffic)
- Always reduce your speed and be prepared to STOP (especially in bad weather)
- Obeying their instructions when signalled to STOP
With your help and consideration the problems facing children on the way and from their schools will be greatly reduced
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Parents!
Your Child's best Road Safety Teacher is you
Why? Because basic road safety can only be taught in the street. Your child is out and about with you. It's your example he or she follows, good or bad.
You can do a great deal to protect your child.
Make sure that grandparents, childminders, anyone looking after your child sets the same example as you do.
Please don't wait for the school to teach road safety. It is your responsibility as a parent to give your child the basic skills. Consider these facts:
- Over 170 children are killed and 4,800 seriously injured on Britain's roads every year while walking or cycling.
- Most serious road accidents involving children walking and cycling happen close to home, on residential roads carrying only light traffic.
- Children aged 12-15 are the most likely to be killed or seriously injured.
- Boys are at much greater risk than girls when walking or cycling. Cycling, they are over four times more likely than girls to be killed or seriously injured.
Ages 1 to 4
Protect your Child
Never let a child under five out alone. They cannot cope with traffic. Not even with an older child.
Choose somewhere safe for them to play: never on the pavement or in the road, however quiet. If there is nowhere else for them to go, make sure an adult is there to supervise.
When you go out, make sure your child walks on the inside of the pavement, keeping a tight hold of your hand if not on reins or in a pushchair. Never allow your child to ride a bike or trike on the road even if you are close by.
Essential groundwork
Set a good example. Talk to your child about stopping at the kerb, looking and listening for traffic before crossing. Explain the difference between the road and the pavement and what traffic is; that the road is for traffic and the pavement for people. Explain that sometimes traffic crosses the pavement, so always look out.
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Traffic education must be part of every child's experience before going to school.
Ages 5 to 6
The Basic Training
Whenever you take your child out walking, talk about what you are doing and why. Teach the main points of the "Green Cross Code".
Stop! Look! Listen!
Practise on quiet roads near home. First, show what to do. Then let your child lead you across. Finally, let him or her cross while you wait behind watching carefully.
For your guidance
The risk of a road accident increases when children start school. Most happen when they are unsupervised, so make sure an adult is always with them when they cross the road. They are not ready to cross alone. If you haven't already done so, why not set up a rota with two or three other parents and share taking children to and from school.
Take the safest route to school, crossing roads at the safest places and explain why.
Ages 7 to 9
Now for the "Green Cross Code"
When you are sure your child knows and understands them, let him or her start by crossing the quiet roads where you have 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 they can use and understand the "Green Cross Code" is different for each child. Many children cannot 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.
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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 especially at night.
Ages 10 to 15
Help them think for 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.
Children between 12 and 15 are most at risk. Many of them think they 'know it all'. It is up to you to make them realise how important road safety is.
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 such as maths and science. This can raise children's awareness of risks, help encourage responsible attitudes to safety and reinforce your own road safety training with them.
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Walking
When walking
 1. Where there is a pavement or footway, walk on it. Keep as far away from traffic as possible
2. Where there is no pavement, walk on the right hand side of the road to face the traffic coming towards you. Walk one behind the other at bends in the road or at night or if there is a lot of traffic. Take special care at right hand bends.
3. If you are looking after somebody younger than you, always hold their hand when using the road
Be Safe, Be Seen
 4. It is difficult for a driver to see you in the dark or in bad weather. When you have to be out then, always wear light-coloured or bright clothing. Fluorescent materials show up in daylight and at dusk. Always wear or carry something reflective at night.
5. Using a crossing with traffic lights
Some pedestrian crossings have a red and green man, either on the other side of the road or above the push button. If you wish to cross push the button and wait where you can see the signal and the traffic.
Once the green man shows and the traffic has stopped you can start to cross. There may be a bleeper sound at this time. The green man will be shown long enough for you to reach the other side.
Do not start to cross if the green man is not showing.
When the green man disappears and depending on the type of crossing, there could be:
- a flashing green man
- a red man above the push button
- neither the red nor the green man will be shown on the other side
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6. Remember
- Do not move away while you wait - some green men will only work if a pedestrian is waiting by the push button.
- Although the wait might seem long, at most sites it is normally less than a minute. A minute is a short time if it allows you to cross safely.
- Cross between the studs, neither rush nor dawdle and do not run.
- Some crossings have a small central island. Make sure the traffic has also stopped on the second half of the road.
- Some crossings are staggered, with a large central island. Treat the two halves as separate crossings.
Crossing at a Zebra Crossing
7. If there is a Zebra crossing, use it. Do not cross on the zig-zag lines - only on the black and white stripes.
 8. Drivers need plenty of time to slow down and stop. Wait on the pavement near the kerb until all the traffic has stopped before you start to cross.
Remember, vehicles need more time to slow down if the road is wet or slippery.
9. After traffic has stopped from both directions, walk across. Keep looking all round and listening in case a driver has not seen you. Watch out for overtaking vehicles
10. If there is an island in the middle of the crossing, stop on it. Look all round and listen, and after the traffic has stopped, walk across
Crossing where there is an Island in the Road
11. Use the "Green Cross Code" to cross to the island. Stop there and use the Code again to cross the second half of the road. Remember to look all round and listen. Crossing at a junction If you have to cross at a road junction, look out and listen for traffic turning the corner, especially from behind you. Crossing at traffic lights At some traffic lights there are red and green signals for pedestrians which tell you when to cross (see numbers 5 and 6). Always obey them.
Crossing at a Junction
12. If you have to cross at a road junction, look out and listen for traffic turning the corner, especially from behind you.
Crossing at Traffic Lights
13. At some traffic lights there are red and green signals for pedestrians which tell you when to cross (see numbers 5 and 6). Always obey them.
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Crossings controlled by Police, Traffic Wardens and School Crossing Patrols
 14. When school crossing patrols, police officers or traffic wardens are controlling the traffic, wait until they signal to you to cross the road. Always cross in front of them.
Crossing One-Way Streets
15. Use the "Green Cross Code". Check which way the traffic is going. Remember that in one-way streets there will usually be more than one traffic lane going in the same direction. Do not cross until it is safe to cross all the lanes of traffic.
Parked Vehicles
 16. Try not to cross between parked cars. However, if there is nowhere else to cross, choose a place where there is a space between two cars. Make sure neither car is about to move off. Walk to the outside edge of the cars and stop.
Here you can be seen by drivers and you can look all round for traffic. Use the "Green Cross Code". When it is clear, cross, still looking and listening as you go.
Crossing Bus Lanes
 17. In these lanes, buses may go faster than other traffic. Sometimes they go in the opposite direction. Cyclists and taxis may also be using them so take special care when crossing.
 Pedestrian Safety Barriers
18. Pedestrian safety barriers are there to protect you. If you need to cross the road walk to the gap in the barrier and use the "Green Cross Code". Never climb over or walk outside them.
Railway Level Crossings
19. There are many kinds of crossings - all can be dangerous. They may have gates or barriers or even no barriers at all. There may also be warning lights or bells. You must never cross when red lights flash or when you can hear warning sounds.
Always stop behind the STOP line. Never go past a barrier that is down. Remember, if the lights continue to flash after a train has gone, another train is coming. It is not safe to cross until the lights go out.
If there are no flashing red lights, warning sounds or gates, you should still stop, look and listen to make sure it is safe to cross.
You must always obey the instructions shown at crossings.
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Children and Cycles
Riding a cycle can help your child develop a sense of balance, and will encourage an understanding of road safety rules, and the ability to judge speed and distance.
Every year an alarming number of children are killed or seriously injured whilst cycling, many of these accidents happening near to their home.
A cycle is very much more than a toy and it is worth emphasising this to your child, stressing the dangers of not using it correctly.
It is never too early to start teaching children about road safety. Very young children should never be allowed near the road on their cycle unsupervised, even children up to 9 years of age will have difficulty in understanding the problems of dealing with traffic.
Choosing and Maintaining Vehicles
Like children, cycles come in many different shapes and sizes. Choose the cycle which best fits your child. A cyclist should be able to keep both feet on the ground when sitting on the saddle and to control the cycle without wobbling. Get advice from a reputable cycle dealer if in any doubt.
Check your child's cycle regularly and pay particular attention to the condition of brakes, tyres, chain, lights and reflectors. Encourage your child to take an interest in the maintenance and cleanliness of the cycle. Further information about cycle maintenance can be obtained from your local road safety officer at the Council offices.
Training your Child to Cycle Safely
When your child is able to ride without wobbling or losing control explain, and if possible demonstrate, the basic cycling skills, for example looking behind before any manoeuvre, using brakes safely and correctly, understanding traffic signs and signals, and wearing appropriate clothing. Only when these points are fully understood should you allow your child on to a road and then only under your supervision. Remind older children that cycling on pavements and footpaths can be dangerous and is often illegal.
The Cycling Proficiency Scheme is organised at most schools for children aged 9 and over. Encourage your child to take part and show that you take an active interest in the progress which is made.
For details of such courses contact the head teacher of your child's school or the local road safety officer. It is important to remember that these courses are very basic and do not provide your child with all of the skills needed to ride safely on busy roads. Experience of coping with traffic will be achieved only after a great deal of supervised practice following the proficiency test.
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Dressing for Cycling
A large number of accidents to cyclists occur because they are not seen by other drivers and riders. Explain to your child the importance of being 'bright' on the road and ensure that they wear fluorescent and reflective garments. Also make sure that if they are cycling after dark they have efficient front and rear lights on the cycle. It is advisable to fit a 'Cycle Spacer Arm' which not only makes the cycle more easily seen by other road users but encourages drivers to leave more space when overtaking.
 Cycling helmets are an essential accessory. Children are more likely to suffer severe head injury, even when merely falling from a cycle, because their heads represent a large proportion of their body weight making them more top heavy than adults. Make sure that any helmet you buy is an approved type that fits correctly.
Set a good example yourself. Never let up
Useful External Links for Parents
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