16/03/2021
Children are (thankfully) now back at school and settling in to the routine.
The journey to and from the school gates is once again part of the daily routine and it's important to keep kids safe on their journey.
Beep Beep Day is designed especially to raise awareness of road safety for 2-7 year olds and we're right behind this!
Start them off on the right track with these great tips for keeping safe walking or cycling to school.
Be seen
If your child walks to school, it’s recommended to buy a Hi-Viz vest so they can stand out to motorists whilst walking at the side of the road. We know some of those older children may not be so keen, but it’s definitely worth getting younger children involved and into the habit from an early age. Whilst the days are getting longer, we can still have poor visibility with fog and rain. For the older ones, bright clothing is recommended or reflective strips on the backpacks.
Use pedestrian crossings
It’s always best to use a dedicated crossing where possible so cars can see you and are made to stop. No-one should be crossing the road between parked cars.
Use the whole pavement
As a rule of thumb children shouldn’t walk near the curb on the pavement, but this should be taken into further consideration when the paths are slippery from poor weather. If your child slips and falls near the curb there is a chance they can fall into the road, so the further away they are the better.
Heads up
Concentration when walking and crossing the roads is extremely important. Teach your children to keep theirs head up from their phone when walking down the road, especially when they are looking to cross it. This also includes headphones as these will make them less aware of their surroundings.
Supervision
Although there is no set age when children can walk to school unsupervised, a parent poll said that 10 is the best age to let children walk to school unattended. This also depends on the maturity of your child, but if your route to and from school has bad lighting and sits on a main road it might be worth considering supervising your child during the winter months.
We hope your child stays safe!