3 Rules To Set For Your Kids About Being Around Cars Or Traffic

As a parent, there are hundreds of things that you worry about that can harm your children. While many of these things aren’t very likely to happen in normal circumstances, there is one hazard that your children likely spend a lot of time around: vehicles.

Not only can cars be dangerous when you’re in them, but they can be dangerous when you’re anywhere around them as well. Especially for children who are smaller and harder for drivers to see, it’s important that they know what they should do to keep themselves safe. To help you in teaching them this, here are three rules to set for your kids about being around cars or traffic.

Never Play Where Cars Are Parked

While it’s great for kids to play outside so they can get some fresh air and vitamin D, it’s important that you set rules about where it’s safe for your kids to be playing and what areas they should avoid playing in.

According to Amy Morin, a contributor to Very Well Family, you should inform your kids that they are never allowed to play near parked cars. While you might think that cars that are parked are less dangerous than cars that are moving, parked cars can be just seconds away from being moving cars. And if your kids are running around them, it can be very hard for the driver to spot your children and make sure not to hit them with their vehicle.

When To Hold Hands

Because your young kids are so small compared to the average-sized adult, drivers may not be necessarily looking out for them in the low areas of their view. It’s much easier for you as an adult to be seen by drivers.

To ensure that both you and your children are seen when going near traffic, SafeKids.org advises that you make it a rule to always hold hands when you’re near driveways, crossing the street, in parking lots, or walking on the sidewalk. By doing this, you’ll be able to increase the chances of being seen and help to keep your kids out of a car’s way.

Face Traffic When Walking

As your kids get older, they’ll likely be responsible enough to walk somewhere on their own, like to school or to a close friend’s house. This will likely require them to walk near the street or by moving vehicles, which is why it’s important that they know how to keep themselves safe.

To do this, NHTSA.gov shares that you should make it a rule that your kids always face traffic when they’re walking on the sidewalks. The reason you should have your kids face traffic when they’re walking is so that they can see the cars that are coming and the cars can see them as they’re walking as well.

To help your kids stay safe, consider using the tips mentioned above to set rules that will allow them to avoid accidents with cars.

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