Walking to school with your children is a lot of fun and a good way to keep them active. You are able to spend time with them and even talk to them about how they’re liking school. But it is also important that your children understand that they need to be safe while walking. With the increase of distracted drivers it’s easy to get caught in unsafe situations especially if you aren’t careful. Walking along the side of the road is a lot different than walking in the park, and it’s critical that you point out these differences to your children and educate them on how they can remain alert and safe while walking to school. Check out these 5 basic tips that you can use to teach your children about walking safely!
Walk together. Younger children should always walk with an adult hand-in-hand. Holding your children’s hand ensures that they will not stray away and will make them feel safe while crossing the street.
Cross at designated area. Always cross at the crosswalk or the intersection. Walking out into traffic at a non-designated area is dangerous and drivers are not able to see you. When you cross at the crosswalk or intersection you are able to see the cars coming and the drivers are able to see you as well.
Stop and look both ways. When you get to the crosswalk or intersection, stop and look to your left. Then look to your right, and then look to your left again. If there are no cars, you can proceed to crossing the street. Continue to be aware of your surroundings to be sure there are no other cars coming.
Obey the laws. Follow all signals, traffic signs and any adult crossing guard’s directions. They are there to make sure that you remain safe while crossing the street.
Unplug from your devices. Drivers aren’t the only ones that need to be aware on the road. It is important that you remind your children to pay attention to everything that is going around them by limiting distractions. Set an example for your children by not texting on your phone while walking or crossing the street.