There is plenty of road safety advice out there for parents with babies and toddlers; the Department for Transport (DfT) and Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) have particularly good sections on the subject on their websites.
Much of the advice – such as always ensuring that children are wearing an appropriate seatbelt in a car – is hopefully fairly obvious.
This article concentrates on some more obscure advice which is provided by campaign teams such as Sussex Safer Roads and the two organisations mentioned earlier. Some of the advice (especially tip number four) might seem a little surprising but if it gets parents thinking about road safety then it can’t be a bad thing!
1. Driveway etiquette
Very young children might understandably think that the driveway of the house is just an extension of their home – a place to play without worry. Try and teach them to think of the driveway as a small road – a place to take extra care.
2. Front-seat passengers
It is always safer to have children seated in the back of the car. If for any reason your child travels in the front seat then don’t think that just because they’re small they won’t need plenty of legroom.
Sliding the front passenger seat back will lessen the force of impact with dashboards or airbags if a collision occurs. Slide the seat as far back as it will go or just simply arrange for the child to travel in the back seat.
3. No leaning out of the window
It’s very cute to see a dog’s head leaning out of a car window but, for obvious reasons, it’s best for children not to imitate this behaviour. If your car has central locking then don’t be afraid to use it to make sure that all limbs and appendages are safely within the vehicle while travelling.
4. Choice of car radio music
The Sussex Safer Roads campaign booklet urges you to “switch off any distraction, such as the radio, while you are in a car with children, regardless of whether or not the engine is running”.
5. Car parks
Always hold on to your child’s hand when walking around a car park and, if in a supermarket car park, load the children safely into the car before you load your shopping into the boot!
6. Buggy-pushing clothes
It’s always nice to wear good clothes when proudly pushing your buggy around the streets. However, sometimes fashion has to take a backseat to road safety considerations; wearing an item of brightly-coloured clothing can increase your visibility to road users, especially at night or in dull weather. Luckily you can wear road-safe colours and be stylish – I hear that canary yellow will be all the rage this summer!
7. Buggy checks
A buggy might not need an MOT but you do need to check its fitness for purpose on a regular basis. If you can’t repair the wear and tear on components such as wheels and brakes then it might be time to replace it.
8. Crossing between parked cars
It is always best to cross the road at safe places like zebra crossings and traffic lights. Try and avoid crossing the road by walking between parked cars and if you do be aware that drivers will be able to see your upper body but probably won’t be able to see the buggy that you are pushing – a recipe for an accident.
9. Cycling
Rear-view mirrors aren’t just for cars and motorbikes; they can come in very useful for cycling parents. Fit one and you can check on the progress of the young passenger strapped behind you without having to twist round and take your eyes off the road.
10. Car journeys in hot weather
Did you know that large cars have just as much potential to turn into ovens as small cars do and that the colour of the seats won’t affect the intensity of the heat? So what can you do?
Apart from stopping every couple of hours to air the car, Sussex Safer Roads advises that when your car is stopped in hot weather you should “hang a damp towel over the windscreen to protect your baby from the sun”.
Which brings us to the final tip – it’s always a good idea to have plenty of bottles of water in your boot when embarking on long car journeys with very young children.
Happy travelling!
Guest post by James Christie, who writes for children’s craft supplies company Yellow Moon. Check out Yellow Moon’s range of Diamond Jubilee crafts for kids.
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