While the attorneys at the Law Offices of David Kohm will work tirelessly to get you the justice your family deserves in case of a pedestrian accident, you can prevent a devastating emergency by teaching your loved ones the basics of road and crosswalk safety. Kids are especially vulnerable to potentially dangerous traffic conditions because of their size, their inexperience with road conditioners, and their naturally curious and impatient natures.
It’s true that you cannot always be there to hold your child’s hands every time they need to cross a busy roadway, but you can dramatically reduce their chances of getting hurt by teaching them important child safety rules in terms they can understand. Using the following guidelines is a great place to get started with educating your children about pedestrian safety and accident prevention. But this guide is only the beginning!
Use real-life scenarios to show your children why pedestrian road safety is so important.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, car accident injuries are the leading cause of death for children under 4 years of age and children between 11 and 14 years of age. Your job is to relay that statistic to your kids without scaring them with images of car accidents and death. You can get that balance right by stressing to your children that road accidents can be completely avoidable if they follow your safety rules.
Show your children how they are supposed to behave when you are not around.
Children are visual learners, so the best way to teach them basic pedestrian safety rules is to show them how they apply to real-life situations. Explain different rules and why they are important as you go. For example, talk to your children about looking in all directions and following traffic signals before you cross a road together. After repeating the same scenario a few times, ask your children to teach you what they have learned to make sure that your lessons came across the right way.
Tell your kids what to do in unusual situations.
Unfortunately, drivers do not always follow the rules. Your children need to know what to do if they come into contact with reckless or drunk drivers. Teach them to be on the lookout for warning signals and to stay back from cars that are approaching too quickly or people who are driving erratically.
Taking the time to teach your kids child safety rules will keep them safe when you are not around and make you feel more confident about their independence. If you have any questions about the laws in your area or need advice about car accident injuries, contact the Arlington accident attorney team from the Law Offices of David Kohm at 817-204-0900.
