Tips to Keeping Children Safe on the Roads

Your primary goal should be to behave and act appropriately on and around roads, so the children will learn and follow on from your actions. Children are excitable and at times naughty, so it is essential to teach them road safety to keep them safe.

Practice road safety

As your children are growing they need to practice daily activities so they can learn from them. If you need to go out to the shops, or take the dog for a walk, bring your child along. Talk to them about road safety, teach them things like hand-holding and no running across the road. The more you practice the more confident your children will be around roads, and in understanding how to behave properly on and around them.

Hold hands

Hold your children’s hand, or get them to hold each other’s hands. This can help prevent any accidents on the road such as tripping, as you already have a hold of them and can bring them back up promptly. You should also teach children the pace they should walk across the roads, as they will try to match you as they hold your hand. Walk at a brisk pace, but not so fast as to outpace your child. This also means children will instinctually want to hold hands when crossing the road together without a parent and keep an eye out for one another.
Be mindful of car parks
If you’re out at the playground with your children, ensure they stay clear of the car park, even if it’s empty. Locate where the safety bollards are, and tell them they shouldn’t be close to those bollards, and to never pass them without a grown-up. Car parks are dangerous, especially for children as they can be difficult for drivers to see, due to their height and unexpected behaviour at times. The best thing to do is keep them away unless you’re with them to go to your car.

Use helmets on bikes

Kids love to play and ride bikes and will want to ride a lot. Introduce them to bikes at a younger age and always make sure they wear a helmet. If they don’t put it on, then they aren’t playing on a bike. It is required by law for everyone to wear helmets, across Australia. Studies suggest helmets can prevent 65% of all lethal injuries on a bike. Remember; no helmet, no bike.
Wear highly visible clothes
If you’re taking your kids out for a walk, it’s a good idea to make them wear brightly coloured clothes. Bright colours are easier to see, especially when it’s low light such as in the evening and night, so drivers will know you and your kids are nearby when they drive past. Kids usually love bright colours anyway, so this shouldn’t be too difficult.

Make sure they wear seat belts

In the car you should never drive without a seatbelt, the same goes for children, no matter where they’re sitting in the car. If they have a booster seat, ensure that it’s clipped in properly. It doesn’t matter how long the drive is, take the time to make sure your children are buckled in safely for the drive. It doesn’t take much for a car accident, seat belts are required by law to be worn by all occupants in the car, 60% of Australian road deaths could have been prevented by the use of seatbelts.

Use child lock

Children love to fiddle and grasp at anything and everything, the door handle of your car is no exception. Your children should never get out of a car before an adult takes them out, and if possible keep them on the passenger side so they exit the vehicle onto the curb.

Drive responsibly

You should always drive responsibly, irrespective of whether there are children or not in your car, your actions have an impact others on the road. But when your children are in the car with you, you should always make sure you keep driving responsibly, throughout their lives. As a parent or guardian, you will be someone they look up to, and will most likely be influenced by your actions, and if you’re a responsible driver, it’s likely your children will be too when the time comes for them to learn how to drive.

Never leave a child in a car unattended

Over 5000 children are rescued from cars that are left unattended in cars. Cars can raise to 30 degrees Celcius hotter than it is outside. Even on a normal 20-degree day, your car can get up to 50 degrees, which can possibly lead to severe dehydration or even death.

Don’t let them out alone if they are young

If you have young children around 7 or under, you should keep them within your site even at home outside. This ensures any adventerous children don’t venture into any out of bounds areas or, out onto the street. If you have a responsible older sibling, ensure they always stay together if they are out together.