“Safety First is “Safety Always.” Charles M.Hayes
Keeping your children safe at all times can be quite tricky if you aren’t always with them. Parents ensure the safety of their children at home and teachers or caretakers are responsible for your children’s safety at school. But who keeps them safe on the road? Whether your children walk to school, take the bus or are dropped off every morning, it’s important that they know the rules of the road.
The importance of road safety rules and regulations for kids
Unlike adults, children do not have the maturity to know what to do and what not, when walking on the roads. Without adult supervision and proper knowledge of road safety rules, children can put themselves at risk. When it comes to the safety of your children, you should not compromise. Teach about road safety for children as soon as they are old enough to step out of the house. Ensure that they understand what you are saying by practicing it with them.
1. Know your signals
Help your children learn about traffic lights, road signs and what each colour means.
- Green means go: Only when the traffic light turns ‘green’, vehicles move ahead.
- Red means stop: When the traffic light turns red, all vehicles have to stop.
- Yellow means slow down: When the signal turns yellow, vehicles should slow down and prepare to stop.
- The ‘Walk’ or a walking man symbol at intersections are for pedestrians. Cross the road only if these signs are green. But before you cross, you need to still make sure that it’s safe to do so by checking that there are no oncoming cars.
2. Stick to the pavement
- Do not walk on the road unless crossing it with an adult.
- Parents walking with their kids should hold hands at all times to ensure that they don’t run away.
- Teach your child to be aware and to watch out for cyclists and other pedestrians.
- Where possible, stick to the side of the pavement that is furthest away from the road.
3. Stop, look and cross
Always look for signals and use the pedestrian crossing to cross the road. In the absence of such markings, here is what you should do:
- Look to your right and then to the left to see if there are any approaching vehicles.
- If yes, wait for the vehicle to pass and then cross the road.
- Never cross at bends.
- Never cross between stationary vehicles.
Adults should always accompany children and hold their hand when crossing the street.
4. No running allowed
Children are generally restless and may not always have patience when walking next to the side of the road. As parents, don’t let your kids get into the habit of running along ahead of you. It’s important for your kids to stick to your side at all times.
5. Only at the Pedestrian Crossing AKA the Zebra Crossing
Kids have a tendency just to sprint across the street, anywhere they like. That can be dangerous as passing vehicles do not slow down unless there is a signal or a crossroad, and sometimes…they don’t stop at all.
It’s important to show your kids what a pedestrian crossing looks like and to look for one when crossing the road.
6. Focus and awareness
Kids are so easily distracted and it’s important that they’re aware of their surroundings at all times. Don’t let them get carried away when walking and chatting with a group of friends near the road. Wearing earphones, listening to music or talking on the phone keeps them distracted and not focused on what’s going on around them.
While keeping your children safe and teaching them the rules of the road is important, ensuring the safety of your vehicle is just as vital. In the unfortunate event that you are involved in vehicle theft or hijacking, call the Beame Emergency number on 086 023 2631 on your mobile or via the Beame Smartphone App to report your stolen vehicle.
Download the Beame Smartphone App for free on both iOS and Android platforms.
For more information, visit www.beame.co.za or call our Customer Care team on 0860 23 26 31