Making sure your child is safe at all times is, and should be, your number one priority. After all, taking care of children isn’t easy. Especially since, as they get older, you can’t be there with them all the time.
Road Safety and Accident Procedures
This is why teaching them to stay safe at any moment is super important. And that’s especially the case when it comes to traffic. Learning about road safety is of utmost importance, from an early age. And here’s how to teach this to your kids.
Learning Through Fun
You can teach kids about road safety from a very early age. Even toddlers can understand some basic traffic concepts, such as traffic lights.
And studies show that kids can learn a lot through music. Starting with songs such as “Twinkle Twinkle Traffic Light”, you can easily get them to understand traffic lights and other basic traffic concepts. And it’s going to be a fun time for them.
So sing along with your toddlers when you’re crossing the street. Of course, make sure you’re still guiding them through the crossing and using other learning methods as well.
Also, take measures like affordable car insurance, so that you can be at peace knowing your child is safe even when they start driving. Kids love to play, so why not use this opportunity? You can teach them about road safety through fun role-playing games. Use toys or other objects as props and show them how to safely cross the street or ride a bike.
Keep Your Child Close
One of the most important things is to keep your kid close to you at all times when there are roads around. You can never know who’s behind the wheel, or if your kid is going to get too excited by something and run off into the traffic.
So whenever you’re walking together, keep your kid close to you. Certain stats from 2019 show that 17% of the children that are killed in car crashes are pedestrians.
So make sure you hold your kid’s hand, or restrain them, whenever you’re walking next to some traffic. Make sure your kid is walking on the side that’s further from the road. And of course, explain to them why it’s important.
Also whenever you have the chance, set a good example by choosing a safe place to cross the street, and explaining to your child why it’s safe. Children learn well by example, so they’ll be able to understand and learn this better.
Explain Accidents to Them if They Happen
When your kid is riding in a car with you, it’s important to give them a rundown of accident procedures. Regarding the age of your kid, you can give them more or less information, depending on how much they understand.
Teaching your kids that they need to be properly strapped in and restrained at all times is crucial. Forming this habit at an early age helps them keep it as teens, which is super important.
It’s also important to teach them who to call if they are in an accident, or if they see someone who is. Important emergency numbers should be the first thing your kid needs to remember. And if you somehow end up in an accident while your child is in the car, there are car accident lawyers you need to contact as soon as possible.
They’re there to make sure you and your family are fine in this stressful situation, and that anything regarding the accident is documented. This way you can make sure to focus on the wellbeing of your kid, and they can take care of the rest.
Be Safe = Be Seen
One of the most important lessons you can teach your child regarding traffic is that being visible means being safe. Children are much smaller than your average adult.
And that’s why they can be easily missed in traffic, and accidents can occur. It can especially be an issue during fall and winter when it gets dark, and the weather conditions aren’t ideal.
So encourage your kids to wear bright clothes, or get them bags and jackets that have reflective strips on them, so vehicle drivers can spot them easily. Make sure your child understands this concept thoroughly, so they can stay safe. Also consider investing in fluorescent clothing, as it can help your kids be spotted easier in traffic during the day.
Sometimes staying safe in traffic, both as a driver and a pedestrian is overlooked even by adults. Although it shouldn’t be. But making sure that children are safe in traffic is even more important.
Explaining the traffic rules to them early on, having them by your side, and talking them through every decision you make as a pedestrian (or sometimes even as a driver) will help your kids learn how to stay safe.
Make sure they’re dressed appropriately too! And repeat all of this as many times as they might need to hear. And as a parent, make sure not to stress over this way too much! It’s going to be okay.
