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Road safety for children

In 2008, 712 children aged six to eleven were killed or seriously injured while walking in Great Britain, while 155 children in the same age group were killed or seriously injured while cycling.

To make children aware of the dangers of crossing the road, a series of adverts will be running online, on TV and in cinemas.

The new adverts are part of the ‘Tales of the Road’ child road safety campaign that was launched last year. It is designed to show the different stages of the Green Cross Code, which are:

• finding a safe place to cross
  
• stop, look and listen
  
• be visible to cars
  
• cycle safety

Read the tips for parents below to help keep your children safe and visible on the roads.

Road safety tips for parents

 To help keep your child safe on the road, make sure that they wear:

• brightly coloured or fluorescent clothing as it shows up well in daylight and at dusk
  
• reflective gear if out after dark to make sure they can be seen in car headlights - fluorescent clothing doesn’t work after dark
  
• clip-on reflectors, arm bands and stickers on clothes or school bags to improve visibility

You should also be aware that:

• bikes must have clean and working lights – red at the back and white at the front
  
• bikes must also have red rear reflectors - fitting spoke reflectors will also help be seen in the dark

Finally, teach your child to choose routes and crossing places that are well lit and make sure they always use the Green Cross Code – find the safest place to cross, stop, look and listen.

Further information

Follow the link below to visit the ‘Tales of the Road’ website. It has interactive games for children as well as educational material for teachers and parents.

• Tales of the Road Opens new window

More on Directgov

• Road safety for children under six

• Road safety for 7 to 11 year olds

• Teenage road safety

• Cycle safety