Schools will open across South Africa for the last term of 2016 soon. Regardless of how your children travel to and from school (whether they walk, cycle, take the bus, or if you drive them to school); being safe on the road is imperative and we share some tips with parents. While the list of tips is not exhaustive, we believe it provides a good starting point to ensure the safety of children during the school commute.
Safe walking
Walking can be fun and provide children with an opportunity to engage in physical exercise. However, children particularly those in Foundation Phase (Reception Grade-Grade 3) are more vulnerable to traffic crashes as pedestrians due to their physical and cognitive limitations (e.g. being physically small and brains not yet fully developed respectively). For instance, due their small stature; it can be difficult for children to see surrounding traffic and for drivers and others to see them. With regards to cognitive limitations, younger children may have difficulties interpreting various signs and sounds, which may impact on their judgement regarding the proximity, speed and direction of moving vehicles[1].
For the majority of children from lower-income households in South Africa, walking is the only travel mode available. As a result, they are exposed to traffic danger as pedestrians on a daily basis. However, even for the higher-income households; children are also exposed to traffic danger as pedestrians. For instance, data from a study that was conducted in Cape Town indicated an asymmetrical pattern in mode use between the morning home to school trips and the afternoon from school trips in higher income neighbourhoods with car use being more prevalent for the former trips while walking was more common for the latter trips[2]. This is largely explained by the fact that knock-off times for schools and work do not coincide. As a result, fewer parents are available to pick children from school in the afternoon due to work and other commitments.
In light of the above, it is crucial for all parents (irrespective of how their children normally travel to and from school) to promote safe walking by ensuring the following:
- if possible, consider walking your child to school and demonstrate how to obey traffic rules and also show them the safest route to school. In this regard, a ‘walking school bus’ or simply ‘walking bus’ would be a great option. This is a concept with numerous claimed benefits, that is popular in many developed countries e.g. New Zealand[3] and the United Kingdom[4]. However, the concept has also been trialled in some less developed countries including in South Africa with promising initial results[5].
| A ‘walking bus’ is a group of children who walk to and from school under adult supervision one who walks in front (‘driver’) and one at the back (‘conductor’). Children are picked up and dropped off at designated ‘stops’ in the morning and afternoon respectively. |
- teach children only to cross the road at designated crosswalks and intersections.
- teach children to stop, look and listen before crossing; even when the ‘Green Man’ is showing at traffic lights.
- when crossing, children should walk (NOT RUN) and should keep scanning for turning vehicles while crossing.
- teach your children only to walk on the sidewalk and to face traffic (granted many lower-income neighbourhoods in South Africa do not have continuous sidewalks or if they do, these may be used by residents for other purposes forcing children to walk on the road).
- encourage your children to put down phones, headphones and other such devices. It is particularly important to reinforce this message with teenagers. You can also set a good example by putting your phone, headphones and other such devices down when walking around cars.
Safe cycling
Like walking, cycling is also fun and provide children with an opportunity to engage in physical exercise. However, it can also be dangerous for the young child. To reduce traffic risk, ensure the following:
- make sure your child’s bike is appropriate for his/her age and that all your bikes are roadworthy.
- if you are on the road riding with children, take up a position behind them. If there are two adults in your group, it’s a good idea to have one at the back and one in front of the children. In this regard, you may also want to try a ‘cycle train’.
| The basic concept of the ‘cycle trains’ (also known as bicycle pools in some countries) is similar to that of ‘walking buses’ because like the ‘walking bus’, children are supervised by adult volunteers and are collected from designated ‘stops’. |
- helmets are particularly recommended for young child cyclists.
- when riding with them, set a good example by following the traffic rules and teach children road safety and awareness for cyclists including the following:
-stop and look both ways before entering the street.
-stop at all intersections, whether marked or unmarked.
-before turning, use hand signals and look in every direction
-do not to jump red lights or cycle on the pavement unless it’s a designated cycle path;
-encourage them to make eye contact with other road users, especially at junctions, then they know they have been seen.
- teach your children to check their bike’s condition on a routine basis (e.g. tyres and brakes must be regularly checked).
Driving children to school
- First and foremost, drive as if every child on the street were yours
- adhere to the speed limit and be on the lookout for children in the school precincts.
- buckle up all children (and yourself!!).
- don’t double park at the school drop off/pick up zone; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles thereby making the school zone more dangerous for schoolchildren.
- don’t drop or pick children across the street from the school. If you park opposite the school, help your child cross to the other side safely.
- consider carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles at the school.
- respect traffic wardens and Scholar Patrol where these are available.
- don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing children to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic.
Public transport (including scholar transport)
- engage with scholar transport driver and check that the vehicle that transports your child is roadworthy and that the driver is licensed as well as ensuring that the vehicle is not overloaded while transporting your child.
- if they use the train, teach them not to train surf (i.e. hitching a ride on the outside of a moving train) and not to try and board/disembark while the train is still in motion.
- if they use a bus or taxi, teach children to stay out of the bus/taxi driver’s blind spots, where they would be hidden from view and more vulnerable.
- ensure that your child is at the bus stop early so they don’t have to hurry. They should never run to or from the bus.
- children should wait at their designated stop in a safe place, back from the side of the road.
As mentioned earlier, the list above is not exhaustive and parents are encouraged to read around for more tips. Ultimately, the choice on which tips to follow (or if the suggested tips are safe for your child) is a matter of personal choice and your responsibility as a parent. Should you require help with developing school travel plans for your child/ren’s school, please do not hesitate to contact us via the contact details provided on our ‘Contact us’ Section.
Travel safely!!!
References
[1] http://www.who.int/features/qa/59/en/ Why are so many children involved in road traffic crashes?
[2] Muchaka, P. Behrens, R. and Abrahams, S. (2011) Learner travel behaviour and parent attitudes towards the use on non-motorised modes: Findings of school travel surveys in Cape Town. Proceedings of the 30th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) 11-14 July 2011, Pretoria
[3] Kingham, S. and Ussher, S. (2007) An Assessment of the Benefits of the Walking School Bus in Christchurch, New Zealand, Transportation Research Part A, 41, 502-510.
[4] Mackett, R. L., Lucas, L. Paskins, J. and Turbin, J. (2005) Walking Buses in Hertfordshire: Lessons and impacts. Centre for Transport Studies, London, University College London.
[5] Muchaka, P. and Behrens, R. (2012) Evaluation of a ‘walking bus’ demonstration project in Cape Town: Findings, implications and recommendations. Proceedings of the 31st Southern African Transport Conference 9-12 July 2012, Pretoria.
Other
http://www.safekids.org/walkingsafelytips
