Children’s road safety is a major concern, especially on Dubai’s roads. It is a fact that traffic accidents affect everyone, including children. Therefore, parents must teach their children to use the roads safely. Whether as a pedestrian, cyclist or passenger, or even in a car or public transport, children must learn to stay safe.

They must also learn the importance of knowing where to play safely, away from traffic and highways. Here are some things you, as a parent, can teach your kids about road safety.

Ensuring Safe Learning

Trying to scare a child into safety almost always backfires. While it is important to explain to your children that if a car driver does not follow the Safe Driver Dubai program rules, it can be dangerous for school going children. 

On the other hand, what is the danger if your child does not respect road safety regulations if he is alone on the road? For example, a car is not dangerous if it waits for you to cross a street or if it stays away from the curb. Think about it in a way that allows your child to choose safety over fear of cars and traffic.

Pedestrian Safety Model

If you want to teach pedestrian safety to preschool children, you must first make sure you are acting as a good role model. This means you cross at crosswalks and wait for the signal. Be sure to look both ways when crossing and walking on the sidewalk facing traffic, not back. As your baby grows, even if he’s in the stroller, tell him what you’re doing to let him know, such as “Mommy, stop, let’s look left and right and it’s all clear so we can go.” “Your son will begin to understand this very early on.

Walk Safely on Tours

Children should always walk on the sidewalk, in the direction of oncoming traffic (it’s easier to avoid problems if you see them coming towards you), as far away from the sidewalk as possible. Model this behavior, and when you walk together, hold hands to help your child avoid running.

STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

When crossing the street, your child needs to understand how important it is to stop, look both ways, and listen for oncoming cars before crossing the street.

How to turn it into a traffic safety game:

• Build a road using toy railways or just draw a road on paper. Then have your child use a toy, such as an action figure, to wait to cross the street when passing cars. This permits them to rehearse stopping, look and tune in until it turns out to be natural.
• Practice a stop game on a walk where your child has to round a corner before crossing. This teaches them to stop completely.

Road safety games for toddlers and preschoolers

We need to share a portion of the fundamental street security illustrations and how you can fuse them into fun games your youngster will cherish.

Correct procedure for crossing the street: Children must learn step by step how to cross the street safely. Steps can include staying one step behind the trail before crossing, looking in all directions to get close to traffic, and crossing only when it is safe to cross the road.

Children should also be familiar with crosswalks (zebra) and pedestrian signs. On roads where there are no level crossings, they must be trained to choose a safe location. The location must be where vehicles and traffic lights are visible. Familiarize yourself with traffic lights. Teach them to cross only when they can see the green WALK sign and never cross when they see the red NO WALK sign.

Headphone Awareness: Parents should explain to them the disadvantages of wearing headphones on the road. Listening to music or talking on the phone while crossing can make it difficult to listen to oncoming traffic, which can lead to accidents. If they enjoy listening to music while walking, encourage them to keep the music at a reasonable volume and only use headphones.

Inform them of the dangers of the driveway: Learn the importance of being careful around driveways and have them stop while walking to check for cars entering or exiting. They must be careful to play behind the cars. Teach them that when backing up their car, they should make sure that there are no children or other pedestrians nearby.

Bicycle road safety: Most bicycle accidents involving children are due to inexperience and careless handling. Therefore, while teaching cycling, make sure that your child is learning on the road under the supervision of an experienced adult. 

Supervision is essential until you understand the traffic rules and can be considered a safe driver. Teach them the importance of wearing a helmet while driving and how it can save their life in the event of an accident.

Safety with other wheeled devices: Other wheeled devices, such as inline skates and skateboards, should be used safely on the road. If your kids use them, make sure they travel within the recommended speed limit. They should be taught to stay on the far left when moving on a road or trail. Also make sure they wear a helmet, shoes, and other protective clothing like knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards to avoid injury.

Bicycle Safety Concerns: Before riding on the roads, children should receive proper bicycle training. The training should also include supervised road cycling, thereby gaining real-world experience. They must be required to wear a bicycle helmet at all times. Show the latest news in the media where other children are saved from accidents by using one.

Make them eco-friendly: Although the use of cars and other private vehicles is on the increase, you should also teach your children about environmentally friendly modes of transport, such as walking, cycling, carpooling and public transport. Help them understand how these ways can benefit nature.

Children’s road safety is essential for the freedom and development of their children, they must be trained to use the roads with respect.