As a parent, you need to make sure your children understand how to be safe pedestrians so they do not get into an accident.
According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, you need to teach safe pedestrian behavior to your children. There are a few key skills children need to master so they can be safe when they walk by themselves.
Identify a street crossing
If children are going to be safe pedestrians, they need to know where they should cross the street. You should help your children identify safe street crossings. Safe crossings usually have low levels of traffic and clear sightlines across the entire intersection. Additionally, there should be crossing aides, such as a crossing guard or a traffic signal.
Select a route
Additionally, your children need to learn how to identify a safe pedestrian route. You should teach them to walk along routes that have sidewalks so that pedestrians have some separation from cars. Additionally, you might encourage your children to walk along roads with a low speed limit and few cars.
Cross the street
You also need to make sure your children can cross the street safely. Children need to learn how to shift their attention so they can monitor the nearby cars and watch the crosswalk. Paying attention to their surroundings can help children see potential hazards and take safety precautions. Additionally, children need to be able to ignore distractions as they cross the street.
It may take some time for you to reinforce these ideas in your children’s minds. Children may understand what they need to do but fail to use these skills every time they walk. Until children demonstrate that they are safe pedestrians all the time, you should walk with them so you can reinforce safety strategies.