Pedestrian Safety
Children are vulnerable road users.
Although children may think they can handle crossing a road by themselves, remember that children:
- are easily distracted and focus on only one aspect of what is happening
- are smaller and harder for drivers to see
- are less predictable than other pedestrians
- cannot accurately judge the speed and distance of moving vehicles
- cannot accurately predict the direction sounds are coming from
- are unable to cope with sudden changes in traffic conditions
- do not understand abstract ideas - such as road safety
- are unable to identify safe places to cross the road
- tend to act inconsistently in and around traffic
All of these factors support that children below the age of 10 years do not have the capability or judgement to handle many pedestrian situations. Children need to be accompanied and closely supervised by a parent or adult carer to keep them safer.
It is recommended by Kidsafe that children are closely supervised by a parent or adult carer until they are at least 10 years of age. A simple way of doing this is to hold hands. Of course, this age is a guideline only and depending on an individual child's development, they may need continued parental or adult carer guidance beyond 10 years of age.
Parents and caregivers have a key role in educating their children about road safety. Children learn about road safety largely by experience. Parents and adult carers have opportunities in day-to-day routines to discuss road safety with children on the way to the newsagent, local shop or going to school. Whenever crossing roads, it is an idea to talk about when and why it is safe to cross the road with your children so they can gain understanding about the broad range of factors involved.
Anywhere where there is a potential for moving vehicles is a potentially dangerous traffic situation for children. This includes residential areas, car-parks, at traffic lights, along footpaths, zebra and other crossings, driveways, quiet streets, and busy streets.
Children need parental/adult carer close supervision in and around traffic to make them safer.
For more information about Child Pedestrian Safety see the road safety publications section of this website.
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