While children are at home, parents give utmost attention and care for their safety . However, it is essential to make sure that when kids are outdoors they stay safe, especially while being on road. For this, it is good to inculcate the behaviour in a child so that he/she should be careful and attentive while being on the road.
Why is it important to teach children about road safety?
Teaching about road safety becomes important because it is directly associated with the physical safety of a child. There can be several road accident prone areas where a child has to be extra cautious and attentive, even if he/she is with the parents. Therefore, if a child is known about the road safety tips then it will be easy for him to stay safe on roads.
ROAD SAFETY TIPS FOR CHILDREN
Cross the road after looking on both sides
The thought of children crossing roads alone can make any parent apprehensive. Hence it is good if they get to understand the very basics of road crossing rules. However, the general rule of thumb says that young children should not be allowed to cross the road without any adult supervision, still they should cross the roads without any unpredictable movement and reckless behaviour. While crossing the road, one should look at both the sides carefully and attentively to avoid any accident with approaching vehicles. Teach them when you’re with them while crossing the roads.
2. Understand Road signs
This is one of the most important road safety tips that every child should know. The road signs are made for the safety of the pedestrians and other commuters. Hence, while driving, teach your child about these signs and about their importance. Learning about the traffic signals too is also important for the safe road trip.
3. Pay attention on road
Children often get lost in their own world and do not pay much attention to their nearby environment. Hence, this becomes highly essential to make them understand that they should be attentive and careful while crossing the roads. They should not be day dreaming, crossing the roads in reckless behaviour or by being engaged in gadgets.
4. Do not run on streets
Young children often start running while crossing the roads which may lead to unforeseen incidents or pose risks. Therefore, children should be warned for this act to keep them safe on roads. Running in an open space where vehicles have got access can pose threat for any unforeseen incident. Hence, children should be taught about not running on the streets while crossing or even when they are walking aside.
5. Use footpath for walking on roads
The importance of footpaths should be taught to every child. Make them understand that they should only use footpaths to walk on the roads. Having said that, areas with heavy traffic, or accident-prone should be more focused and only footpaths should be used to walk. Although, this rule should be imposed on empty streets as well because this traffic message is the same all over the place.
6. Cross The road on Zebra crossing
Most of the parents often forget the importance of Zebra Crossings, hence they forget to teach this to their children too. The importance of Zebra Crossing should never be ignored both by the adults as well as by the young children. Zebra crossings are made for the safety of pedestrians so that they can cross the road without any hazard. So, before you cross the road - look at both the sides and cross on the Zebra crossing only.
7. Understand the rules for in-car behaviour
Road safety indicates safety while being on the road, no matter whether you are on a walk or for a drive. Hence, whenever you’re driving along with your child, make him/her understand some important in-car rules and behaviour which is expected from him/her. Some of the in-car rules are wearing seat belts, not to lay or take support of the gate, not to put hands outside the window, not to jump over the seat, etc.
8. Wearing helmets while riding a bicycle
This road safety tip may seem to be very casual and light, but this has got its own importance. Young children often ride their bicycles to reach their friend’s house, tuition classes, playground, etc. So if in case they fell down on the road, this helmet will protect them from any severe injury on their head. Hence do not forget to teach this important road safety tip to your child.
9. Getting off a car
There have been several accidents caused due to the ignorance made while getting off from a car. Hence, no matter how attentive and careful you are for your child while being on the road, it is important that your child should be attentive too while getting off from a car. Any wrong side get-down can lead to severe accidents. Therefore, teach your child that whenever it's time to get down from the car, one should see outside first carefully and then open the car gate. Additionally, no one should come out from the roadside gate except the driving person.
10. Be patient on roads
The last but the most important road safety tip for the children is to be patient on the road. They should wait for their time to cross the road and should not behave recklessly on the road. All this is important because a single ignorance on the road can lead to a fatal accident.
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