10 Golden Rules for Road Safety: A Guide for Kids

Road safety plays an important role in children’s education and daily life. Whether it is walking to school, cycling, or travelling in a car, the child must be aware of the road safety and traffic rules. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways report (2022) shows that road traffic injuries are the main cause of death for children in the age group 5–14 years. This is the reason why giving appropriate lessons to kids about the rules and regulations of road safety from a very early age is so crucial. These provide them with protection plus empower them to make the correct decisions while crossing busy roads.

This article provides 10 golden road safety rules and regulations for helping children stay safe on the move.

Why Road Safety Education is Necessary for Children

Children should be taught about road safety from a young age. Installing safe road habits ensures that children grow up to be responsible pedestrians, cyclists, and passengers. Teaching them these rules also implies that they understand the bigger scenario of respecting safety and traffic rules, which could benefit not only their safety but the safety of the entire community. Integrating good practices such as the limitation of screen time would also promote safety. Learning how to reduce my screen time is necessary since distracted walking due to mobile phones is the rising cause of pedestrian accidents across and in India.

Moreover, schools like GIIS Bangalore-one of the top schools in Bangalore-see to it that students learn how to master road safety within the academic curriculum, making them safe on their way to both inside and outside classes. 

The 10 Golden Rules for Road Safety

Stop, Look, and Listen:

Simply, the first step towards safe road crossing is stopping, looking, and then listening before crossing any road. A child must stop at the curb, observe both ways for oncoming traffic, and listen to the sounds of approaching cars. This habit helps them to observe their surroundings and make wise decisions before stepping onto a road.

Use Pedestrian Crossings:

Pedestrian crossings are designed to keep pedestrians away from traffic. Children must be educated to use pedestrian crossings always, whether they are near their school or have to cross a busy road. This is particularly true for younger children because they may not be able to estimate the speed of oncoming cars or identify all forms of traffic signals. Using such crossings is encouraged to minimize accidents by conforming to road safety rules and regulations.

Obey Traffic Signals:

Traffic signals also play an important role in regulating the flow of traffic. Every child must know what each colour of the signal means: the green, yellow, and red light. Wait for the signal to turn green before stepping and crossing. Kids must not cross when the light is red, even if they think the road is clear.

Walk on the Sidewalk:

Children should as often as possible be walking on the sidewalk. Sidewalks have been constructed to keep pedestrians separated from traffic, thus becoming a safer route to walk along busy streets. In cases where there is no sidewalk, children should walk as far away from the road as possible, ideally facing oncoming traffic so they can see any approaching vehicle.

Avoid Running Across Roads:

Children by nature are energetic and may feel tempted to run across the road to reach their destination. Running across roads significantly increases the risk of accidents. Kids should know how to cross the road carefully, even if they think the road is clear, since running can expose them to dangerous situations where drivers may not have enough time to react.

Wear Seatbelts in Vehicles:

Whether they are in a car, bus, or any vehicle, children must always wear their seatbelts. This is a rule that one must not compromise with because seatbelts always come in handy in avoiding major injuries during accidents, which may occur at times. The WHO South-East Asia Regional Status Report on Road Safety shows that users of seatbelts have reduced cases of serious and fatal injuries by a great margin, studies show that fatalities are reduced by as much as 40 to 65 per cent when seatbelts are properly used. Teach children to remind adults to buck up. Never go and hop into a moving vehicle without securing one’s seatbelt.

Also Read: The Future of Education: Innovative Learning Pedagogies at GIIS Nagpur

Never Stick Hands or Heads Out of Vehicles:

Sticking hands or heads out of moving vehicles is highly dangerous. Children might find this funny, but it can cause serious injuries. Teach children to keep their hands and heads inside the vehicle at all times even when the vehicle is moving slowly.

Be Visible, Especially at Night:

Being visible to the drivers, mainly at night or during low light is a must. Children should be dressed in bright or reflector-coloured clothes while walking or cycling around roads. Carrying a torch or having reflective bands on their bags or clothes increases their visibility and helps drivers spot them during the dark.

Avoid Distractions While Walking:

As smartphone usage increases, kids are likely to be distracted while walking, which could be hazardous. What happens is that texting or listening to music through earphones or even playing on a phone while crossing the road reduces their alertness and response time. It is therefore essential to educate children to ensure there are no distractions when walking and they always remain focused on their surroundings, especially near traffic.

Follow Adult Supervision:

Young children should never cross roads alone or walk through busy areas without an adult. Parents or guardians must make sure the children follow the proper road safety rules and regulations when travelling and are accompanied at all times when needed. Older children, too, should be advised to walk with a friend or an adult, especially when in new places or during late evenings.

The Role of Schools and Parents in Road Safety

Both schools and parents play a significant role in cultivating habits that are essential to road safety. GIIS Bangalore, one of the best CBSE schools in Bangalore, teaches road safety as an integral part of its curriculum. This help comes not only from textbooks, but through real-life exercises, simulations, and works. Such activities teach them the practical importance of road safety. 

At the same time, parents need to lead by example. In case parents follow road safety rules and regulations, it influences children to behave in the same way. They should urge kids to take seatbelts, never ignore traffic signals, and always walk on the sidewalk. Parents can also monitor their children’s screen time to ensure they stay engaged with their surroundings, rather than becoming distracted by devices.

Conclusion

Teaching the road safety rules and regulations to children is one of the biggest duties both parents and schools have. With the help of these 10 golden rules, as discussed in this guide, children can travel over roads safely either walking, cycling, or in vehicles. When these habits are instilled at a young age, we will develop a responsible and aware road-user generation.

At good schools such as GIIS Bangalore, road safety education is an integral part of the curriculum. Road safety and traffic rules are essences that we impart to children along with scholarly skills. At GIIS, activities, workshops, and real-life simulations are employed to ensure that students face all challenges related to road safety. Visit our official website for further information.