Pedestrian Safety for Children

Walking seems simple, but for children, it's actually quite complex—especially around traffic. Children lack the developmental ability to safely navigate traffic on their own until around age 10. Until then, they need supervision, training, and clear rules. Here's how to keep your young pedestrian safe.

Why Children Are At Risk AAP

Children face unique challenges around traffic that adults often don't realize.

Developmental limitations:

• Can't judge speed or distance of vehicles accurately
• Have difficulty determining where sounds come from
• Peripheral vision isn't fully developed
• Can be impulsive and unpredictable
• May not understand traffic rules
• Get distracted easily

Physical factors:

• Smaller size makes them harder to see
• Shorter height limits their view and drivers' view of them
• Move unpredictably
• May freeze when scared instead of moving out of the way

When children can walk alone:

• Most children can't safely cross streets alone until age 10
• Some aren't ready until later
• Depends on maturity, judgment, and traffic conditions
• Even mature children need training first

Teaching Street Crossing Safe Kids

The basic steps:
1. Stop at the curb or edge of the road
2. Look left, right, and left again
3. Listen for traffic
4. When clear, walk (don't run) across
5. Keep looking while crossing

What to teach:

• Always use crosswalks when available
• Wait for walk signal at traffic lights
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing
• Watch for turning vehicles
• Cross at corners, not between parked cars
• Never assume a car will stop

Practice together:

• Walk through these steps out loud
• Have child practice with you watching
• Gradually give more responsibility
• Correct mistakes immediately
• Praise safe behavior

Rules for Young Pedestrians NHTSA

Basic safety rules:

• Hold an adult's hand when crossing until around age 5
• Stop at every curb
• Never run into the street
• Look for cars in driveways
• Walk on sidewalks (or facing traffic if no sidewalk)
• Avoid walking between parked cars
• Make sure drivers see you before crossing

Around vehicles:

• Never play in or around parked cars
• Watch for cars backing up
• Don't chase balls or toys into the street
• Be careful around driveways
• Walk behind parked cars, not in front

At school:

• Use crossing guards
• Use designated drop-off and pick-up areas
• Exit cars on the curb side
• Walk, don't run, in parking areas

Visibility and Being Seen

Children are hard to see:

• Shorter than many obstacles
• May be hidden by parked cars
• Especially invisible at dusk and dawn
• Dark clothing makes it worse

Improving visibility:

• Bright colored clothing
• Reflective materials on clothing and backpacks
• Avoid walking at dusk or after dark
• Use flashlight if walking in dark
• Stay in well-lit areas

Age-Appropriate Pedestrian Skills

Toddlers and preschoolers (under 5):

• Always hold adult's hand near traffic
• Cannot cross streets alone—ever
• Teaching basic concepts (stop, wait, look)
• Learning to identify sidewalk vs. street

Early elementary (5-7):

• Still need supervision near traffic
• Can learn and practice the steps of safe crossing
• Supervised street crossing practice
• Learning to recognize traffic signals

Older elementary (8-9):

• May be ready for supervised independent walking
• Must demonstrate knowledge of rules
• Can cross familiar streets with some independence
• Still need adult supervision in complex situations

Upper elementary and beyond (10+):

• May be ready for independent walking to school
• Should have mastered crossing techniques
• Can handle most traffic situations
• Still need reminders and spot checks

Walking to School Safety

Planning the route:

• Walk the route with your child
• Choose streets with sidewalks
• Avoid busy streets and complex intersections
• Identify safe places (crossing guards, adult helpers)
• Know where child will cross streets

Walking groups:

• "Walking school buses" provide safety in numbers
• Adults can supervise group walks
• Children learn from each other
• More visible to drivers

What not to do:

• Don't let children cut through parking lots
• Avoid routes requiring crossing busy streets
• Don't use routes without sidewalks if possible
• Never allow running late to compromise safety

Distracted Walking Safe Kids

Distraction is increasingly dangerous for pedestrians.

What distracts pedestrians:

• Cell phones and texting
• Headphones/earbuds
• Talking with friends
• Playing games
• Eating or drinking

Rules about devices:

• No phones while crossing streets
• Take out earbuds at intersections
• Phones in pockets or backpacks near traffic
• Model device-free walking yourself

Special Situations

Parking lots:

• Walk with adult, holding hands
• Use designated walkways
• Stay alert for backing vehicles
• Never run between cars
• Exit cars on non-traffic side

At home:

• Driveway dangers—check for children before backing up
• Supervise children playing near street
• Don't let children retrieve items from street alone
• Watch children at all times near roads

Rural roads:

• Walk facing traffic if no sidewalk
• Stay as far from road as possible
• Be especially visible (bright/reflective clothing)
• Be careful at curves and hills

Weather considerations:

• Wet conditions make stopping harder for cars
• Snow and ice hide curbs
• Fog and rain reduce visibility
• Be extra cautious in bad weather

Teaching by Example

Model safe behavior:

• Use crosswalks yourself
• Stop at curbs and look
• Put away your phone when crossing
• Follow traffic signals
• Verbalize what you're doing so children learn

Talk about what you see:

• "That car is turning—we need to wait"
• "I'm looking left, right, left—no cars coming"
• "We'll use the crosswalk even though it's a longer walk"
• "That driver waved us on, but let's make sure they're stopping"

The Bottom Line

Children can't safely navigate traffic on their own until around age 10. Until then, they need supervision and training. Teach the basics—stop, look left-right-left, listen, walk don't run—and practice them repeatedly. Model safe behavior yourself, and gradually increase independence as your child demonstrates readiness.

Clara is here to help you raise a safe pedestrian!