5 Road Safety Rules You Should Teach Your Kids

Posted On April 1, 2021

How many times have you heard about a terrible road accident in your vicinity and immediately called your loved ones to make sure they are alright? The fact that your younglings aren’t present with you at the moment of finding about the accident triggers a parenting instinct that makes you go search for them. But things don’t have to be like this.

There are over 2, 35 million people injured in road accidents annually and you and your family shouldn’t potentially be a number in that statistic. What you need to do is to teach your kid everything there is to know about road safety. This way you’ll know that they are safe and sound every time they leave the house. Here are some areas of road safety that you should cover and teach your kid before they start going out regularly.

Pay Attention to Signs

To be aware of the situation in traffic, your child should know the basic traffic signs. So before your start talking about anything regarding road safety rules for children you should mention a couple of important signs. This way they’ll know what to do even when traffic lights aren’t working or there isn’t a crosswalk to guide them.

By explaining to them what to do in these specific situations, and which signs to pay attention to while on the street, you’ll make them more confident and safe. Ultimately, you’ll feel more secure about letting them cross the road on their own in the neighborhood. The fact is that there are many traffic signs that can help pedestrians understand the area and the streets intersecting specific junctions.

Double Check When Crossing

Another important lesson in road safety is double checking when crossing any crossroad, road or a street. It’s crucial that your kid has an embedded memory of this rule that acts as a failsafe in any situation. You can never be too sure on the road.

Once your kid starts looking both ways before entering traffic, and double checking the situation, you will know that your kid’s safety in traffic is guaranteed. This isn’t the biggest of rules in road safety, but it is the most basic one and it has its significance. If your kid is still in preschool or has started school, these tips will come as more than handy to them. Even though there are only a couple of streets that divide your home from the destination they’re supposed to be every day, they need to know the basic rules when entering traffic. Next to that, they’ll be safer on the road, they’ll also help the traffic itself as well as other drivers in traffic.

No Phones Allowed

This is the most basic lesson that anyone can find when reading road safety rules guidebook, but it’s an important one nonetheless, and it shouldn’t be disregarded. So as you introduce your child to road safety standards you should also mention that using a phone while crossing the street is extremely dangerous. No matter how confident a person crossing the road is, they should never underestimate the situation by having a phone call or using their phone in any other way.

The biggest mistake would be scrolling through social media page while entering any part of the traffic. Because when the pedestrian isn’t paying attention to traffic, chances for an accident occurring are increased. So be sure to be clear when explaining this to your child- phones don’t go well with traffic. It’s as simple as that and there aren’t any exceptions.

Be sure to mention a couple of situations regarding possible phone use in traffic to see if they got it right. Make it into a game, or a test, and figure out whether they’ve grasped the gravity of that situation. Once you are fully convinced that your younglings are aware of the dangers of using a phone in traffic, you’ll be ready to continue teaching them the next lesson in road safety.

Rules in the Vehicle

As you kid begins to understand how to behave in traffic on foot, they should be aware that there are certain rules while in the vehicle as well. Next to the common rule that they should always wear a seatbelt no matter where they sit, they should know also know a couple of advanced rules. These will help you drive safer while increasing their safety as a passenger.

Be straight with them. No playing while in the car. You can’t afford having a ball or a large toy while driving. They should understand why this is important. Sure, having small toys to pass the time won’t hurt anyone, but letting your child’s imagination go wild while using those won’t help you get from point A to point B. Touching or meddling with the door mechanism is a big no-no as well.

Make sure that they got this. Using windows is ok, as long as they know not to stick their head through it or lean with their weight on the upper section of the door. Having a sticker, baby or child on board, helps you get through tough traffic as well so don’t forget to get one.

Bike Safety

As you kid grows, they’ll start learning new skills and actions. One of these is riding a bike. It’s a unique experience teaching them to ride a bicycle on their own. But they should also know how to drive while in traffic.

When teaching them how to behave in traffic while riding a bike, be sure to cover all the rules.

These include knowing when it’s safe to enter traffic, which traffic signs to pay attention to, maintaining speed, riding through crossroads, near bus stops, etc. There is plenty of material to cover, so be sure to be thorough. Also, help them understand that their bicycle’s performance is their responsibility. Sure you’ll help them change a flat tire, or fix the chain, but they should know to do this on their own as well.

To Conclude

Having a responsible child that knows how to behave in traffic isn’t only helping you and your family feel more confident about letting them go anywhere, but also other drivers on the road. If they are fully aware of all the rules while in traffic, you have nothing to fear.

You won’t have to mention traffic accidents, statistics about how many pedestrians get hurt or anything like that. If they know the gravity of the situation, they’ll behave accordingly. It’s as simple as that.

Author: Catherine Evans

Catherine is a writer from Canada who simply loves toys, collectibles and superhero figurines. Writing is her passion, but she also loves reading, enjoying her “me time” and finding new ways to improve her work and ways to entertain the readers.

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