Going back to school after the holidays is an exciting time for children. Buzzing with energy, they are often excited to catch up with friends, leaving them distracted and forgetting to take the proper safety precautions.
Close to school grounds, pedestrian pathways are scenes of children and adults walking and commuting on bikes, scooters and the like, all so they can get to school on time. It’s also peak hour and the roads are filled with vehicles. People are searching for an opportunity to cross the road. It is chaos!
At times like this, it is important to ensure we’re all following the road safety rules, educating our children about them and we are all aware of our surroundings.
By teaching children basic back to school safety rules and tips, we can reduce the stress and make their trips to and from school more enjoyable.
Practice walking to school. Help familiarise them with the route and show them the safest ways for them to get home or arrange a safe meeting spot. Show them why it is safer to walk on the pedestrian pathway, facing traffic and help them find the safest crosswalk or intersection.
Stop, look and listen. check for oncoming traffic and make eye contact with drivers.
Take the bus. If your child is catching the bus, take the journey with them to and from school as a practice run. Let them experience what happens when you get on and off the bus and ensure they know the safest route to take once they have arrived at their destination.
Back away from the curb. Teach your children to stay at least two metres back from the curb and explain to them why it is a safe choice.
Avoid blind spots. Explain blind spots to your children and visually show them how it can be dangerous.
Always wear a helmet. This is a must for all children, regardless of if they are riding a bike, scooter, skates, blades or skateboard. Remind them they should always stick to the path and only use the road to cross.
There are so many road safety rules to follow and for children, it can be overwhelming.
Through our Safety School, we endeavour to reinforce important safety messages in an engaging and fun way that will help them understand the importance of staying alert and following the road safety rules.
As WA’s only road, transport and pedestrian safety experience, Constable Care Foundations’ Safety School gives children a first-hand experience of some of the things that can occur should they not take road safety seriously.
For more information visit the Safety School website here.
To cater for Kindy aged children up to Year 3, we also offer a puppetry incursion experience. It allows them to explore the ways in which they can travel to school safely in a fun  way.
Find more information about this program here.
If you would like to read about some more of our handy tips and the most commonly asked questions at our Road Safety School, visit: https://constablecare.com.au/program/primary/safety-school/road-safety-facts-figures/
