Back to school tips for the road
Back to school, back to reality! After what we hope has been a relaxing and safe holiday for all our readers, the school term is about to kick off and that means there’ll be a higher number of children and parents, buses and cyclists on the road.
This also means more traffic and an increased number of road rage incidents which could possibly lead to more accidents on the road. Previous years have showed us that keeping our kids safe on their way to school is a big issue that demands attention.
Also read: Road safety made simple
Why? Children are the most vulnerable when involved in an accident. In 2014 the Western Cape Traffic Department revealed that in the Western Cape alone 191 pedestrian children were killed on the roads in the province in one year – with 127 of these children being run over and 90 of them were younger than the age of ten.
It was also revealed that a big portion of the Western Cape’s scholar transport system is unroadworthy and therefore untrustworthy.
So with this in mind, here is how you can help make the road a safer place for you and your children when the school rush begins:
– If you have children who must use the roads frequently, for example to walk to school, you must ensure they are well versed in the rules of the road.
-As a driver, you can help keep children safe by never speeding, and making a deliberate point of slowing down where large numbers of children are present.
– Large numbers of children are also killed as passengers, very often as a result of not being buckled up properly. Always use an age appropriate child seat when transporting children by road.
– Parents must ensure that child pedestrians wear high-visibility clothing. It’s also not advised to let your child walk to school alone in any area.
– If your child is being transported to school by bus or taxi, make sure the vehicle belongs to an accredited business and is well maintained.