Sidewalk Safety – When Kids are Pedestrians

Every time I drop off or pick up my kids from school, both the Pediatrician and the Mama in me cringes. There are kids and cars EVERYWHERE. Hundreds of kids of all ages, cars driven by both adults and teens, traffic lights and crosswalks and construction. It’s a madhouse. 

Now, to be honest, most of the kids and the drivers are following the rules. Most of the walkers stay in the crosswalks, most of the cars yield to pedestrians and drop kids in the designated zones. The elementary schools have crossing guards to help the little ones. 

But not everyone follows the rules. 

I see kids crossing the streets in all directions. I see parents quickly stopping their cars in the road to dump kids out onto sidewalks. I see teens cutting across the roads rather than walking down to the crosswalks. I see drivers weaving in and out of lanes of traffic, in too much of a hurry to wait. These are all accidents waiting to happen, and unfortunately they happen near schools all too often in our country. 

Walking to school

Walking your child to school, when possible, is a great idea. It gets them moving early in the day, helps to wake up the brain, and exercises the muscles. It helps children stay more active.  It helps cut down on traffic around the school and reduces air pollution. 

It is usually not recommended for children to walk alone to school until about 5th grade, or age 10 years. Younger children are less cautious, more easily distracted, and unable to fully comprehend the dangers of traffic. 

Recommendations if you walk to school with your child:

• Hold hands  – younger children need guidance when crossing the street.
• Look both ways – teach children to be aware of cars and to wait until the road is clear to cross. Remind them that drivers may not always see them. 
• Use crosswalks – these designated areas allow for safer passage across busy streets. Wait for the crossing guard to help you if one is present. 
• Follow all traffic signals – only cross the street when prompted
• Dress for safety – brightly colored backpacks or reflective materials can help make children easier to see, particularly during winter months when it gets dark earlier. 

Recommendations if your older child or teen walks alone:

• Plan your route – work together with your child to plan a safe, direct route to school. 
• Use crosswalks – these designated areas allow for safer passage across busy streets. Wait for the crossing guard to help you if one is present. 
• Follow all traffic signals – only cross the street when prompted.
• Walk with a friend – if possible, have your older child walk with a friend or a group. There is safety in numbers. 
• Say “no” – make sure your older child knows not to take rides from anyone you have not previously made plans with.
• Avoid cell phones – these are distracting and pose a significant safety hazard while walking.
• Dress for safety – brightly colored backpacks or reflective materials can help make pedestrians easier to see, particularly during winter months when it gets dark earlier.

Biking to school

Similarly to walking, biking is a great way for kids who live near the school to get there. However, there are certainly safety concerns involved with biking to school, and it should be limited to older children and teens. Many of the same safety recommendations still apply, but there are additional ones that are specific to bike riding. 

• Ride with traffic – bikes should be ridden on the right-hand side of the road along with the flow of traffic. Use a bike lane if it is available. 
• Stop at all intersections – respect stop signs, traffic lights, and yield signs.
• Use hand signals when turning
• LOOK – be aware of cars and pedestrians, as well as other bicycles. 
• Wear a helmet – every time, no matter how short the distance. Helmets save lives. 
• Practice – have your child ride the route to school in the days leading up to the first day of school. 

Dropping off or picking up at school

While it is obviously important for parents to teach children to follow safety rules and be aware of the environment when walking and biking to school, it is just as important for drivers near schools to do so. 

Many schools will have traffic maps that are published before the school year, to let all parents who are dropping off or picking up children around the school know how to do it safely. Following these traffic maps will decrease the amount of confusion and make conditions more safe. It is NOT OKAY to ignore these rules because you are in a hurry. Give yourself plenty of time for the drop off and pick up process. 

In addition, follow these recommendations to keep students safe while you are driving near a school: 

• Follow all traffic laws.
• Slow down!
• Drop off and pick up only in designated areas.
• Do not pass other vehicles that are stopped, or make sudden lane changes.
• Watch for pedestrians and bicycles.
• Do not pass buses that are letting kids off. 
• Yield to crosswalks.
• Follow directions from crossing guards.

Final thoughts

As most of the children in the United States return to school in August or September, I felt it was a good time to address pedestrian safety. No child should ever be injured as a pedestrian around a school. It is up to the drivers to be alert and aware and above all, patient. It is up to parents to teach pedestrian safety to their children. It is up to everyone to make good choices to keep kids safe. 

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