Teaching your child to cross the road safely is a lesson that will stay with them for years to come. It’s also advice that is relevant whether you live in a town or in the country. All roads are dangerous, so here are the key messages to get across:
- The safest place to cross the road is at a pedestrian crossing or a school crossing patrol.
- You can also cross on a straight piece of road where you can see traffic clearly in both directions.
- You should never cross the road on a corner - you can't see if traffic is coming.
- Never cross the road from between parked cars – it's dangerous. You can't see the road and drivers can't see you. One of the cars could start moving.
- Always use the Green Cross Code when crossing the road. It's easy to remember:
- Walk to the edge of the pavement and STOP at the kerb.
- LOOK left and right and LISTEN for traffic. When the road is clear and there's no traffic, it's safe to cross.
- Walk straight across the road without stopping. Keep LOOKING and LISTENING at all times.
- If you see a friend on the other side of the road, you must never just run across to say hello – always use the Green Cross Code.
- Traffic moves very fast, so you need to concentrate when you're crossing the road.
Here are a few activities to help you bring the information to life. Simply download 'Which path?' and print for a ready-made game. The Safety Statues download is a poster for your child's wall. The activity is based on musical statues and teaches the basics of the Green Cross Code; so you will need to play music.
Alternatively, click to play our specially created interactive, animated version of Safety Statues – music is included.
If you prefer, you can create your own fun. Here are a few suggestions to help inspire you:
- Make a 'pavement' out of cardboard or paper to demonstrate what and where the kerb is. You child can then stand at the kerb and practice the Green Cross Code in safety.
- Get your child to think of all the traffic they need to look out for when crossing the road – cars, lorries, buses etc. Make a list and then decorate it with drawings of each type of vehicle.
- If you can see a main road safely from your garden or a window in your house, you could do a traffic census. Counting how many buses or lorries go by will demonstrate just how busy the road is.
