This is how children get to school safely
Getting children fit for traffic – parents cannot start early enough with this important task. Even small children can be taught simple rules. Indispensable for this: Your own role model !
Children learn by imitating. If you obey the traffic rules yourself, your offspring will grow up with them as a matter of course. Whether going for a walk or driving to the supermarket – explain to your child what is important in road traffic. Easy-to-remember mnemonics, such as: “When it’s RED you have to stand, when it’s GREEN you can walk” are quickly anchored in children’s memories – even in kindergarten age.
Traffic Education: Children must have fun with it!
In order to draw our children’s attention to the special situations in road traffic and the associated dangers, we first have to consider the age and size of the child. Children are smaller than adults and as a result have a completely different perspective. Let’s just go to their eye level and take a look around the traffic. After that, it will be clearer to us which points we have to pay special attention to in road safety education. Depending on age and mental maturity, we can then try to teach age-appropriate road traffic rules.
children in traffic
If the child has outgrown kindergarten age, the way to school is of great importance. Practicing this route is very important and can be practiced together with the parents in advance of school. The following applies here: safety comes before distance. Better to accept a small detour, but avoid critical, confusing places in traffic.
Important rules of conduct as pedestrians:
- If possible, use traffic lights or zebra crossings.
- Never cross the street when the traffic light shows “red”!
- When crossing the street, first look to the left, then to the right and then to the left again!
- Cross the street as quickly as possible!
- Take care when crossing the street when parked cars block the view. If this situation cannot be avoided, then your child should approach it very slowly.
Children like to ride a bike. However, they very often overestimate their ability and have difficulty assessing traffic situations correctly. Before you go out on your bike alone, you should have enough cycling experience. In order to protect children riding bicycles, the road traffic regulations provide for the following regulation: Children up to the age of 8 must ride their bikes on the sidewalk. Between the ages of 8 and 10, little cyclists are free to choose whether they want to use the sidewalk or the road. From the age of 10, children must ride on the street or, if available, on the cycle path.
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Important rules of conduct as a cyclist:
- Wear a suitable, well-fitting bicycle helmet for every ride!
- If available, then definitely use a cycle path!
- Consideration for other road users is the top priority!
- Adjust speed to local conditions!
In order to gain even more safety on two wheels, children can take part in projects from various providers. The traffic police, but also various automobile clubs and the local police regularly offer courses for children in which they are made fit on the bike. Here, precise braking and avoiding obstacles are practiced as well as the most important traffic rules. The kids’ bikes are also checked for road safety.
In addition to knowledge of the most important rules of conduct in road traffic, well-developed motor skills and a good sense of balance are of great advantage. Children who have developed these aspects according to their age move much more safely in traffic and can react more quickly to sudden events.