Road safety is a vital subject that we need to educate our kids about from a young age. With more and more cars on the road, it’s essential that our kids know the rules to stay safe when walking, biking, or traveling in a vehicle.
Here are 13 road safety rules that every parent should teach their kids:
- Know Your Signals: Teach your kids the meaning of road signals such as stop signs, pedestrian crossing signs and traffic lights. Make sure they understand that these signals are there to keep them safe.
- Stop, Look, Listen and Think: Encourage your kids to follow this simple rule before crossing the road. Make sure they stop, look right, left and right again, listen for any approaching traffic, and then think before crossing.
- Pay Attention: Teach your kids to always pay attention when walking or biking near roads. This means putting away their phones and avoiding any distractions.
- Don’t Run into Roads: Explain to your kids that running into the road is incredibly dangerous and can lead to crashes. Encourage them to walk and never run near roads.
- Always Use Sidewalks: If there is a sidewalk available, encourage your kids to walk on it instead of walking on the road. If there is no sidewalk, make sure they walk facing the traffic.
- Safe Crossing of Streets: Teach your kids to cross the road at designated crosswalks and to never dart out into the road. Explain to them that using crosswalks is the safest way to cross the road.
- Use Car Seats on Every Trip: If your kids travel in a car, make sure they understand why you are using a car seat. This simple rule can save their life in case of a crash.
- Get Out on the Safe Side: Teach your kids to always get out of the car on the sidewalk side, away from the road. This will help keep them safe and prevent them from running into the road. You can also ask your child to touch the vehicle door till you are ready to hold their hand and walk with them.
- Wear Bright or Reflective Clothing: When walking or biking, it’s important that your child wears bright or reflective clothing so they are visible to drivers.
- Hold Your Child’s Hand When Walking: If your child is young, hold their hand when walking near roads. This will help keep them safe and prevent them from running into the road.
- Don’t Play on Busy Streets: Teach your kids to never play on busy streets. This can be incredibly dangerous and can lead to serious crashes. Encourage them to play in parks or on sidewalks.
- Protective Gear for Cycling or Skateboarding: If your kids love to ride their bikes or skateboard, teach them to wear protective gear such as a helmet, elbow and knee pads. Explain to them that these items are there to keep them safe in case of a fall or crash. A helmet can protect their head and prevent serious injuries, while elbow and knee pads can protect their joints from getting scraped or bruised.
- Driveway Safety: Teach your kids about driveway safety, as driveways can be particularly dangerous for young children. Explain to them that cars can come in and out of driveways at any time. If they’re playing near a driveway, make sure they stay a safe distance away and avoid playing behind or near parked cars.
By teaching your kids these road safety rules, you’ll help them stay safe while they walk, bike, or travel in a vehicle. And remember, it’s important to lead by example and follow these rules yourself to show your kids the importance of road safety.
At Wheel Well, our mission is to keep children safe in and around the car. We believe that educating kids and their parents on road safety is key to achieving this goal. I hope that these road safety rules will help you keep your children safe when they’re walking, biking, or traveling in a vehicle. If you have any questions or need help keeping your kids safe in and around the car, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Wheel Well. We’re here to help.
