You love living near your children’s school, since it’s just a quick walk to the playground and school activities. However, you know that there are risks along the way. There are streets to cross, and your child could quickly fall victim to a pedestrian accident if you’re not cautious.
What’s good is that you’ve already assessed the risk of your child getting hurt, so you can start to look into ways to keep him or her safe. Here are a few ways you can keep your child or children safe around the roads near your home.
1. Talk to your children about roadside safety
The main thing you want to do is to make sure your children understand the risks that they’re exposed to near the roads. Talk to them about cars and trucks, pedestrian accidents, backing vehicles and other hazards they could face. Encourage them to stay focused on walking to where they’re going and not getting distracted.
2. Walk with your children until they’re old enough
It’s wise to walk with your children to keep them safe until they’re old enough to assess the dangers of situations on their own. For the most part, children shouldn’t be left on their own until they reach the age of 8 or so, but it’s up to you and your child’s level of maturity.
3. Make safety a game
Safety can be fun. Encourage your children to stop, look and listen. Make it a game; help them interact with safety rules in a way that makes them fun, and they’ll be more likely to adhere to them.
These are a few ways you can help keep your children safe around busy roads. With the right education, they can help prevent accidents. Our site has more on this important topic.