How to Keep Your Kids Safe in Traffic: 6 Important Tips to Follow
Traffic safety is one of those things that become a habit as you get older, and often, you don’t think twice about what you do in a parking lot or crossing the road. Everything you do is natural and second nature. But for children, this is all new and they have to learn and be taught these lessons at some point in their lives in order to develop these safe habits. Here are some tips to consider when teaching your kids about safety in traffic.
Teaching Them Important Rules
The first and foremost tip for ensuring your kids’ safety in traffic is to actually teach them about it. Many parents will simply walk with their children or carry the expectation that schools and teachers will educate them in regards to pedestrian and traffic safety. As a parent, you have a responsibility to help your children grow up with the knowledge in order to keep them healthy. Make sure that you teach them practices while walking and moving about, and explain why these practices are important. Inform them that accidents and mistakes happen and they need to be careful and mindful to make sure they are okay, even when you aren’t around to protect them.
Never Jaywalk
Along with teaching your children the safe practices of traffic and pedestrian safety, you need to remind them of things that factor in both unsafe and illegal practices. Jaywalking is one of those things that you should highlight with your kids to be mindful of. It is illegal for a reason as it is implemented in most places for your own safety. Of course, it is not always followed in very dense cities or areas with smaller roads, but it doesn’t make it any safer, especially for your children. When teaching your kids, it is best to abide by safe practices that will translate to general
Keep Phones and Devices Away
A good tip to include with your teaching lessons about walking in and around traffic is to keep all your electronic devices away. The reasoning behind this is to ensure that your children are engaged and aware of their surroundings, removing any sort of distraction that could preoccupy their minds, eyes, or ears. The experts at https://vatrials.com/ recognize how problematic distractions can be. The division of your attention, whether it is from a pedestrian perspective or a driver, can put you at risk as you are unable to pay full attention to your surroundings. Even if you have gotten used to traverse certain routes, you need to always be prepared for the unexpected as this is how accidents occur.
Map Your Travel Routes
When it comes to teaching kids, preparation is important and can be accomplished in several ways to get them comfortable in how they move around the traffic. This is especially key when you are trying to teach your children how to travel on their own, whether this is walking to school or to the grocery store. You should create destinations and have them understand the way you expect them to go. Creating this familiarity allows you to cut down on other risks, getting lost, and becoming flustered, which can lead to a loss of focus and distraction. Plan your travels so that you can clear your mind and focus on safety.
Walk Together
Along with mapping routes in preparation to allow your kids to travel on their own, you should also walk with your kids the first few times to help them familiarize their surroundings, routes, and the practices you want them to abide by when traveling. Keeping constant communication of what they should do and why they should do it while providing the same example will help them compartmentalize your teachings for when they are to walk on their own. Developing these habits in your children is integral to ensure that safety becomes second nature and they implement the practices you teach without even having to think about them.
Wear Bright Colors
One way to help keep your kids safe as they maneuver through high traffic areas such as parking lots and crosswalks is to provide them with bright clothing and attire. This is especially important and effective during times in the day where the light is lower and the areas are getting dark. Drivers can get distracted by many factors around them so having this extra color to gain their attention can help keep your kids safe throughout the day.
Safety is important for everyone to practice, as there are dangers that not only you can control. However, even with others impacting your well being like drivers, it is important that you practice, and subsequently teach, good habits to your kids when it comes to their safety and well being.
