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Road safety is a topic that all children should know about. When the subject is approached correctly, children can learn a lot and the info that they attain can provide them with the necessary resources when it comes to acting correctly in various scenarios.
What we teach young children
Children under eight should be taught about awareness and the proper behavior that they have to exhibit to stay safe. They can be taught rules and they should be encouraged to practice them under direct supervision. However, children under 8 mustn’t walk near roads without an adult because they are easily distracted and because they have difficulties understanding the risks that they are exposing themselves to.
There are a couple of topics that you can teach younger children. For instance, teachers should explain to them that traffic can hurt people and that some accidents are deadly. Also, you can tell them that some drivers do dangerous things such as texting and speeding, which increases the risks of them hurting pedestrians and themselves in car crashes.
The main rules that a young child has to know are basic. For example, they have to know the difference between the pavements and the road and the fact that they should never play on the road. They should also understand that they have to stop at traffic lights and that they have to wear their car belt whenever they travel by car.
By the age of 5, children also have to be taught the Crossing Code and the safe places that they can cross at. Kids who use bikes also need to understand the importance of protective gear.
Children aged 9 and upwards can also be taught about the social impact of road accidents and the dangers of peer pressure when it comes to taking risks. Older children can also be encouraged to walk to school with a friend or neighbor who lives nearby.
Children aged 11 to 20
Students that are aged 11 to 20 should also be educated about road safety. At first, they might find this topic boring, however, there are numerous ways in which teachers can make this topic engaging.
Teens and pre-teens have to be taught about how life-changing injuries can affect one’s life, as well as about the importance of taking responsibility when driving. The subject of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol should also be brought up as an example of bad behavior. To make them pay close attention to this subject, teachers can also bring up statistics that show the true extent of the problem.
For example, teen drivers should know that people from their age group are up to ten times more likely to get into a fatal car crash than adults. Also, the statistics show that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of teen deaths in the U.S. Most of the fatal crash accidents recorded are caused by teens six months after they have obtained their driving licenses.
Teens who own and use scooters should also be taught about road responsibility. They have to understand that they should only use devices that work as expected. Before they buy a scooter, they should take a close look at a professional review.
A teacher should also explain to his/her pupils that electric scooters can only be ridden by those who are 16 or older. Specific rules concerning the use of scooters might be imposed by local jurisdictions. This is why the teens must know where they can find the correct info.
All scooter users should be encouraged to wear protective equipment, including helmets. They should also know that helmets have to be replaced every five years.
No matter the age of the class that you are teaching, you should make sure that your pupils understand the importance of making safe choices when traveling near or on roads. All children should also feel encouraged to speak openly against dangerous behavior.
Parents should also be taught to reinforce road safety lessons at home. To make sure that the message is understood, you can ask emergency service professionals to come and speak to the children about the importance of road safety.