Top Road Safety Tips for Grown-Ups

Top Road Safety Tips for Grown-Ups

As adults, it’s our responsibility to ensure our children are equipped with the knowledge they need to cross the road safely. Here are some of our top tips you can share with your kids.

Teach Your Child The Green Cross Code

  • Find a safe place to cross
  • Stand on the pavement near the kerb
  • Look and listen for traffic
  • If traffic is coming, let it pass then look all round again
  • When there is no traffic near, walk straight across the road
  • Keep looking and listening for traffic while crossing

Set An Example

Children are quick to pick up on our habits, especially those we’re unconscious of. When out walking with your child be mindful to set an example that they can follow. For example, always walk on the pavement or path if there is one and keep away from the kerb. 

Teach Them Crossing Types

We know, it’s been a while since swotting up on the Highway Code to pass that driving test. Even as adults it’s easy to forget the rules and regulations of each crossing type. Here’s a refresher you can share with your kids -

Pelican – Push button crossing with red/green man appearing on a pole across the road

Puffin – Push button crossing with red/green man appearing on the box to your right as this is the direction the traffic is coming from initially

Toucan – ‘Two Can’ Cross – Pedestrians and cyclists. Instead of just a red/green man lighting up there is a red/green man and bicycle

Zebra – Black and white stripes, push button on crossing with green man to cross

Practice Using Crossings

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. It can help to break down the process for your child before venturing out with them. You may want to list it out to them as follows -

  • Wait at the kerb by the crossing so drivers know you want to cross
  • Press the button and wait for the green man to light up
  • Never walk into the road when the red man is showing, even if the cars have stopped or other people are crossing
  • Always walk over the black and white stripes of a crossing
  • Stay alert while crossing, do not use headphones

 

If you found this helpful, check out our blog post on Top Tips To Help Prepare Your Child For The Walk To School.
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