A Guide to Teaching Children Traffic & Road Safety

From a young age, children should learn about road safety. Children often lack the spatial awareness required for crossing a street or being near a road. Kids are also more likely to go unseen by drivers, which increases their chances of risk or injury. Accidents can happen unexpectedly and suddenly, so it is important for parents to instill safe habits that become second nature to kids. Properly explaining the dangers that cars can pose can help prevent serious mishaps.

Without proper supervision, children are susceptible to a number of risks on the road. Kids may find it difficult to gauge the presence, speed and distance of oncoming traffic. They are also likely to be absorbed or distracted by other activities, such as talking to another child, playing with objects or riding a bicycle. Adults can actively help children navigate their surroundings and develop road and traffic safety by instilling awareness at a young age.

Dangerous road and driver conditions can jeopardize the safety of kids. In addition to poor weather conditions which can make roads slick, drivers may be distracted or aggressive when taking to the road. Improper signage can also be problematic for otherwise conscientious drivers. Being aware of common scenarios can help ensure that you and your children know how to react.

Not all drivers give 100% of their attention to the road. Sometimes, they may be preoccupied by activities like singing along to the radio or talking on the phone. Sending a text message requires drivers to take their eyes off the road for multiple seconds, which can mean a driver will drive the length of a football field without paying attention. Checking directions may also lead a driver to avert their focus. In total, distracted driving claimed 3,142 lives in 2019.

Adults with young children need to practice awareness measures to avoid drivers who aren’t completely aware of their surroundings. When your own children are in the car, it’s important to minimize their temper tantrums and general discomfort. Adults can plan ahead by keeping their children occupied with books or movies. In the worst case scenario, it’s best to pull over to attend to a child’s needs rather than dealing with an issue while trying to stay concentrated on the road.

Road rage leads to aggressive driving behaviors which can put other drivers, pedestrians and kids at risk. Aggressive drivers may disobey traffic signs, fail to observe safety zone laws or drive over the speed limit. Other typical behaviors include changing lanes frequently or yelling at other drivers. Often, drivers resort to such aggressive driving habits when faced with traffic congestion beyond their control.

You can avoid potentially dangerous situations by letting aggressive drivers pass, leaving sufficient space between yourself and a speeding driver, and driving defensively. In some situations, you may even want to call the police and alert them to an extremely reckless driver. Remember, adults who exhibit aggressive driving behavior in front of children can impact their kids’ habits and manners and influence how they drive in the future. To foster good driving values, keep calm and drive courteously.

Inadequate road signage can cause accidents. For instance, faded crosswalk paint can lead children to cross the road in the wrong place, and a missing stop sign can make other drivers run through an intersection. To ensure your safety and the safety of other pedestrians and drivers, use caution whenever you are in or around other cars. Slow down or stop when approaching an intersection, look for other vehicles at intersections even if a stoplight flashes green and reduce speed when approaching a construction zone.

Reporting dangerous conditions can help make the roads a safer place for all drivers. While circumstances may change depending on your location, below are a few places you should contact:

• Your state’s Department of Transportation. If you’re facing an issue on highways or roads, call your state’s Department of Transportation and file a complaint. Uneven pavement, potholes and abrupt edges commonly lead to accidents and should be addressed. If your city or county has a road maintenance division, you may also want to consider calling.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you’ve experienced a vehicle, tire, car seat or equipment safety problem, it is important to report the issue. NHTSA reviews every complaint to check for widespread defect issues, and your action might save someone else further down the line.
• A local homeowner’s association. If you live in a small neighborhood with potentially unsafe conditions, a local HOA may be able to offer a solution. Most HOAs are charged with ensuring the safety of neighbors and addressing the concerns of property owners.

Road and traffic safety should be revisited and taught to children as they grow up. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to incorporate safety lessons in daily life and make learning fun. Depending on a child’s age, you may want to adapt differing lessons and practices. Those under the age of five can be taught the basics of traffic awareness and school-age children can be shown how to start becoming aware of cars. Those above the age of nine can be taught how to walk alone on sidewalks and make safer choices while bicycling or doing other activities near a road.

Parents and adult caregivers play a vital role in teaching children road safety skills. As children receive guidance about how to safely cross a road or walk near cars, such behaviors become ingrained motor skills. Beyond verbal lessons, demonstrating safety precautions in a vehicle can also help children learn driving strategies to implement later in life. Such knowledge has been proven to help children interact with traffic safely.

You can teach your children about road safety in this fun board game, "Safe Paths to School." The gameplay dives into important road safety information, such as understanding traffic signs, crossing the street safely and behaving appropriately in a car.

Ages: 4–12

Supplies:

• Game board and game material printables
• 6-Sided die (optional)
• Tape or glue stick
• Scissors

Teaching children about road and traffic safety is a must, but they shouldn’t be given more information than they can handle. Compared to those who are toddlers, those aged 12 and above have a better ability to learn how to assess risk on the road and make informed decisions. Remember that the rational part of even a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed until about age 25. Below are a few basic road rules and strategies to consider based on a child’s age group.

Toddlers, or those aged three and under, are too young to truly understand the risk and danger that comes with being on or near the road. Kids in this age group are often the ones who end up running into the road to chase a toy or following something that has caught their attention without looking both ways on a street.

To mitigate the risk, toddlers should be taught the basics of road safety. One of the most important lessons to impart is to never to be near a road without an adult holding their hand. Kids below the age of three should also begin having an awareness and understanding of where the sidewalk ends and the road begins. Knowing the difference between roads, sidewalks, crosswalks and driveways can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents.

Speaking sternly to emphasize danger may be effective. But it’s easy to make safety lessons into a game, as well. For instance, adults can teach toddlers how to press the pedestrian crossing button and count how many seconds it takes for the “green man” to appear. Alternatively, playing a quick round of “I Spy” and describing sidewalks or traffic lights in easy-to-understand terms can help toddlers begin to identify such spots quickly.

Children between the ages of three and five should always be accompanied by an adult. At those ages, kids are also able to recognize road signs, such as the hexagonal STOP sign, the basic “stop, look and listen” rule, and colors such as green, yellow and red. Be creative by making stories out of road signs and helping kids understand what the traffic lights or “robots” are signaling.

Preschoolers are not yet equipped to cross the street alone, but they are easily influenced by those around them and can be taught how to walk on sidewalks furthest away from traffic. The best way to teach road safety skills is through demonstration. Exhibit good behaviors by wearing a seatbelt, obeying road rules and always looking both ways before crossing a road. Children will be likely to imitate safe routines.

At school age, or between five and eight, it’s still important that children are accompanied or at least supervised by an adult while on the road — even if only traveling a short distance from a bus stop to a house. However, they can learn and begin to remember safer paths and lead the way without always holding an adult’s hand.

To start, teach children about safe places to cross the road, such as crosswalks, underpasses or footbridges. They should also learn how to identify crossing-patrol authorities and be able to read certain traffic signs. Ask simple questions to see if children have a firm grasp of basic concepts. For example: What does the red light mean at a crosswalk? What should be done before crossing the road? Are there any shortcuts a child can take when walking around the neighborhood to avoid roads all together?

Children who are nine to 12 can learn with increasing frankness about the dangers of the road, but it is important not to overload them with information they can’t handle. Around this age, it may be time to consider whether a child can walk independently, although an evaluation often depends on a kid’s individual level of development and the risk of serious danger around the area.

Kids who understand and practice pedestrian road safety rules may be ready. Otherwise, they may need more supervision. Parents can make a determination by letting a child take the lead when walking to school to see if they know how to cross streets and navigate to their destination. They can also be quizzed about common landmarks and road signs seen along the way.

Different situations call for different road safety actions. For example, the rules of crossing a road do not necessarily apply to kids who are playing at the park. Below are a few scenarios that can help adults understand how to instill good traffic safety behaviors regardless of the situation.

Aside from teaching children about road safety, defensive driving skills shown by adults can demonstrate the benefits of driving safely. In addition to ensuring that children, pedestrians and others avoid accidents and injuries — especially in the most dangerous cities for pedestrians — good driving behaviors can help adults to have lower auto insurance premiums, maintain a clean driving record, enhance employment opportunities and improve health. Whether an adult is new to the road or has been behind the wheel for years, they will be well-served by reviewing their habits and making adjustments to minimize risk.

Phones and electronic devices can be highly distracting, but technology can also be used to help drivers arrive at their destinations. Many apps such as Google Maps are used every day, but a variety of others for both Android and IOS systems can be useful when it comes to brushing up on common traffic rules and being a safer driver. Below are three road safety apps that are worth downloading.

• TrueMotion Family: This app measures risky driver behavior and provides recommendations to improve them. It incentivizes safe driving by letting you earn “safety points” if you exhibit safe driving skills, which you can then use to redeem cash or other rewards.
• DriveSmart: DriveSmart is an all-in-one application that helps you track and improve your driving. You can obtain a certificate to improve your driving skills, receive metrics and information regarding your driving behaviors, earn points you can redeem with partners and more. It also prevents distracted driving by muting notifications as soon as you start driving.
• EverDrive: Competitive drivers can use EverDrive to see who drives the safest among family and friends. The app ranks you based on your behaviors, and it lets you win prizes and even qualify for auto insurance discounts if you receive a good driving score. If you receive a poor score, the app can teach you how to drive more safely.

Adults who want to practice road safety and ensure that their kids stay safe on the road can look to the following resources.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The Centers provide nicely illustrated photos and guides that show how to keep children safe by buckling safety belts and using car seats and booster seats.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Learning the basics of pedestrian safety is a must for adults and growing children. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration raises awareness of dangers by providing statistics and offering a wealth of resources for learning how to stay safe on the road.
• American Red Cross: The American Red Cross has provided a guide on everything you need to know in case disaster hits and you need to wait for emergency services. Strategies include carrying a disaster readiness kit, making sure you have snacks on hand and keeping an eye on the weather forecast.
• Nemours Kids Health: Nemours provides a practical and quick guide for adults on how to keep kids safe while in the car or waiting for the school bus.