For parents whose elementary-aged children will walk to and from school this fall, the dog days of summer are the perfect time to teach safety for school days that begin in mid-August.
Drew Eichelberger, principal of Western Oaks Elementary School, says summer evenings are a good time for parents and children to practice walking to school and review the basics of pedestrian safety.
The first thing parents should do, Eichelberger says, is decide on the route their child will take to and from school. Once or twice a week, parents should walk the route with their child, pointing out possible traffic hazards and discussing and demonstrating safe walking habits.
Eichelberger says parents should teach their children rules for wise walkers, including:
- When sidewalks are available, use them.
- If you need to cross a street, use a crosswalk if one is available.
- At crosswalks, even crosswalks with stoplights, make eye contact with the driver before you cross.
- If there is a light, cross only when the sign says to "walk." If it says "don't walk" before you get across, make eye contact with drivers and quickly walk to the other side. Do not stop in the middle.
- If there is no crosswalk, cross at street corners. Go straight across the street, not in a diagonal line.
- Do not cross behind or between parked cars.
- Stop at the curb. Look both directions before you cross the street. Look left, look right, then look left again. If there are no cars, cross. If there is a car, wait.
Parents should not only educate children about safety when walking. They should also be role models, Eichelberger says.
“Young children learn by watching adults. Set a good example. Practice pedestrian safety, even if your child is not with you. Someone else's child may be watching you and follow your example,” he says.