Back to School
Moms and Dad’s are excited while children are apprehensive; it’s one of the most wonderful times of the year. It’s Back to School time! Hundreds of children will walk to and from school every day – slow down to posted speed limit in all school zones. Hey, it’s a pretty good rule to follow in all residential areas where children are playing.
Children under the age of nine often have not developed the skills necessary to cross the street safely by themselves. Their sight, hearing, height, perception and mental development are not the same as adults, and this decreases their ability to make safe judgments about traffic. Children, from an early age, need to learn how to cross a street safely, through repetition and encouragement. A child under the age of nine should always be accompanied adults or older children whenever they cross the street.
So how do we teach children to cross a street safely?
- Stop at the corner.
- Never cross between parked cars – if there is a marked crosswalk always use it even if it is a little further down the street.
- If the corner is supervised by school patrollers – always obey their instructions.
- Look left then look right for vehicles that maybe approaching.
- Make eye contact with drivers so you know that they see you and they know that you see them.
- Make sure cars come to a complete stop before you start to cross the road.
- Walk, don’t run as you cross the street and continue to look both ways as you cross.