Pedestrian Safety - Why Kids Lack Good Judgement |
Children under the age of nine - generally speaking - don't have the ability to make safe judgments about traffic because they aren't developmentally ready to make good choices on their own. It is not their intelligence that is in question, say child development specialists, but rather their level of thinking and physical coordination. Children under nine may not be able to judge whether a situation is safe or react appropriately in an emergency - especially when they are nervous or scared.
The bottom line? Proper supervision for children under the age of nine should be ensured at all times. Children under nine should be accompanied by adults or older children whenever they cross the street or ride their bikes. Even if you feel your child is advanced and has the intelligence to do these activities alone, in reality he/she may not be developmentally ready to do so.
Did You Know?
Young children can't see out of the corner of their eyes as well as adults can. They aren't able to use information from their peripheral field of vision.
The direction of various sounds (e.g. a siren) is often difficult for children to determine. They may turn the wrong way searching for a sound.
Children's sense of perception is different than that of adults. They may think large cars move more quickly than small cars, or narrow streets are less dangerous than wider ones.
Young children can't pull together all the pieces of information they need to act appropriately in an emergency situation. Even if they have been taught the rules of the road, their brains can't process multiple pieces of information or a complex chain of events.
Children lack a sense of vulnerability. They don't understand a car can seriously hurt or kill them if they collide.
Children have trouble judging how fast a vehicle is coming towards them or just how far away a vehicle is.
Children like to keep moving! As a result, they may have trouble waiting for stoplights to change or for cars to stop at crosswalks before they step out onto the road.
Although children may have been taught how to cross the street safely, they can be easily distracted and may respond impulsively.
What's that over there? Children tend to focus only on the things that interest them most.
Children may simply believe grown-ups will look out for them. They think that if they can see an adult driving a car toward them, the driver must be able to see them too.
Children's small stature also causes visibility problems for both the children themselves and for drivers who may not see them.
Tips for Safe Kids
Remember number nine. An adult or older child should accompany children under nine when crossing the street or when riding bikes.
Program your kids when they are young.
Teach your children the rules of the road - and start when they are young! Think of it as gradually programming your children's brains until all the connections are in place. By the time your children reach age nine and can act responsibly, the road safety rules will be second nature. Teach your children through play. Make learning fun and you'll make it memorable. Play act with toy cars, set up obstacle courses in the park, or point out safe and unsafe behaviour as you walk, ride your bikes, and drive.
Be a good role model. Follow the same rules as you want your child to follow. You may want to cut across the street in the middle of the block, but you want your child to learn to cross at the intersection.
Why Age Nine is Recommended
By age eight, children's brains have reached the stage of development that allows them to be more responsible and to make good judgements. By the time they reach age nine, most children have matured enough to be able to walk and ride safely near traffic. Here's how they've developed:
- As a child's thinking becomes increasingly more sophisticated, the brain develops the ability to process multiple pieces of information at the same time. This allows a child to properly assess a chain of events and respond appropriately - a very important skill when cycling or walking near traffic.
- As a child ages, he/she begins to develop feelings of vulnerability and therefore is more conscious of the risks and consequences of his/her activities. Reality-based fears begin to surface around age nine - for example, fear of parents dying, fear of someone breaking into the house, fear of dog being hit by a car.
- Children become less impulsive - they are more likely to think before acting (e.g. darting out into the street to chase a ball).
- Children develop physical coordination and begin to lose the clumsiness of early childhood.
If nine-year-old children show their parents they are careful and follow road safety rules, then they can be allowed to ride their bikes and cross the street without adult supervision.
It's important to stress that age nine is just a guide; some children may not be ready until later. For example, children who have learning disabilities or who are still impulsive may continue to need active supervision when riding their bikes or crossing the street.
Courtesy Safe Kids Canada
