School Safety Tips - Walking and Biking Safely

Part five in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!

Tips for Walking and Biking Safely

Walking and biking to and from school can be a great way to get exercise, interact with your children, and teach them lifelong traffic safety skills. Know your child's abilities and remember your child's limitations. Children under 10 are developmentally limited when it comes to judging speed and distance accurately.

Walking

1. Walk with an adult or responsible older child at all times.


2. Children under 10 should not cross the street without an adult.


3. Walk on the sidewalk when there is one.


4. Walk facing the traffic, as far from the road/traffic as possible, if no sidewalk is available.


5. Use traffic signals and marked crosswalks.


6. Stop at the curb or edge of the road and look left, right, then left again for traffic before crossing.


7. Walk, don't run.


8. Give drivers time to see you before crossing the street


9. Keep looking for cars while you are crossing.


10. Wear white clothing or reflectors when walking in the dark or in low light.

Biking

1. Always wear a properly fitted helmet.


2. Ride with an adult or responsible older child, when possible.


3. Obey all traffic signs and signals.


4. Ride on the right side of the road in a single file line.


5. Ride in the same direction as other vehicles.


6. Go straight across railroad tracks.


7. Use proper hand signals when turning and stopping.


8. Yield to pedestrians and alert them with a bell or your voice when passing.