Road Safety for Parents: Protecting Children from Traffic Hazards

To Parents – About Road Safety

Dear parents!

Who among you does not want to see your children healthy and unharmed? Everyone wants to believe that their smart and sensible child, so similar to their father (mother), will never end up under the wheels of a car. After all, there has been so much talk on this topic... However, avoiding a road traffic accident is sometimes not so easy.

The statistics for child road traffic injuries are also concerning. In 2013, the number of accidents involving children and adolescents amounted to a horrifying figure – 21,148 accidents, 872 children died, and 22,407 were injured to varying degrees. In the first quarter of 2014, 151 minors died on the country’s roads, and 4,826 children were injured.

Injuries sustained in road traffic accidents are extremely dangerous. As a rule, a traffic injury is at least a "double" impact: first, the car knocks the child onto the hood, and then the child falls onto the roadway. As a result, two impacts occur – against the car and the asphalt. Injuries from sharp corners, edges, and rigid structures of the car are extremely severe, but the second impact is even more dangerous, as children most often hit their heads during a fall (the ratio of head weight to total body mass is greater in children than in adults).

Causes and conditions contributing to road traffic accidents involving children and adolescents.

The child’s psychophysiological system has not yet fully developed, unlike that of an adult. Coordination of movements and peripheral vision are still underdeveloped. Children have shorter steps and a smaller field of vision by 15-20%, and their reaction to danger is slower (3-4 seconds, compared to 0.8-1 second in adults). Due to their age-related psychological characteristics, children are not always able to accurately assess the speed of a vehicle and the distance, or quickly evaluate the rapidly changing situation on the road. Children tend to overestimate their capabilities.

Adults, when approaching the roadway, already observe and assess the situation from a distance. Children, on the other hand, only begin observing the roadway when they approach the edge or are already on it. As a result, the child’s brain does not have enough time to "process" the information and give the correct action command. The more difficult the situation for the child, and the more resourcefulness and speed they must show in making a decision, the more inhibited the child’s central nervous system becomes.

Furthermore, younger children transfer their ideas from the micro-world of toys and video games into the real world. In a game, a car can stop instantly, but in real life, it cannot. Children’s assessments of moving vehicles are also peculiar and influenced by contrasts. The larger the vehicle and the more noticeable its color and sound are compared to the surrounding environment, the faster children perceive its movement, while they may not notice a small car moving at high speed. Children believe there is no danger and that they will have enough time to cross the road at an unregulated crossing or outside the pedestrian lane.

Sometimes, difficulties in orientation are caused by clothing (hood, tight scarf, hat, headphones, etc.). The child’s height also significantly hinders their view of the surrounding environment: due to parked vehicles, they cannot see what is happening on the road.

Most pedestrian accidents happen when the driver, due to various factors, spots a pedestrian too late. The main reason cited is poor visibility of the object. Due to their small height, drivers often do not notice children on the roadway. Research shows that 90% of a driver’s actions depend on the visual information they receive. When a child suddenly appears in front of a rapidly approaching car, the driver is unable to swerve or brake in time.

Almost 90% of pedestrian accidents occur at night or in conditions of poor visibility when the driver sees the pedestrian only at the last moment and does not have enough time to take appropriate measures to avoid the accident. Snow, fog, rain, and shadows from trees and bushes make pedestrians less visible even on well-lit roads. Moreover, pedestrians, seeing the lights of an approaching car, assume the driver sees them too. Children and adolescents, in particular, are often reckless when crossing the street.

Prevention of Traffic Accidents Involving Children

A traffic accident is a serious moral and psychological shock for a child. It is a true tragedy, and in this case, a "personal" experience is unacceptable and should be replaced by the experience accumulated by society. Do not scare your child with road dangers. They do not need to fear passing cars excessively. Fear leads to paralysis, and the more complicated the situation, the more incorrect their actions will be. However, teaching a child a reasonable sense of caution should start now.

Teach your child to observe the street and vehicles, to analyze potential dangers. Use every opportunity for teaching; don’t walk down the street in silence. Explain why you need to cross the road exactly here and how to do it more safely. Show them examples of rule-breaking pedestrians. The more you discuss and pay attention to various road safety features, the more prepared your child will be to participate in road traffic. And never break traffic rules yourself. For children, parents are objects of love and imitation. If it’s acceptable for mom or dad, they will think it’s acceptable for everyone.

Convince your children that, in the interest of pedestrian safety, even when crossing at a pedestrian crossing, they should make their presence known on the road, giving the driver enough time to brake. Reflective elements can be standalone items—bracelets, pendants, stickers—that can be attached to clothing, or part of special vests with reflective stripes.

The school cannot do this without your help! If we tackle this problem together, we can solve it. If the school tries to protect your children's lives alone, this issue will remain unsolved.