Stop, Look, Listen...

The tragedy of two young boys killed whilst attempting to cross the M56 motorway in October 2007 rang home the importance of educating children about road safety. Ellen Beardmore looks at the seriousness of this ongoing issue and discusses what can be done to make sure our children are safe on the streets

Every parent’s worst nightmare came to life when two young boys were killed trying to cross the M56 in Cheshire. Kieran Coupe, seven, and six-year-old Guy Davies died when they were struck by three saloon cars as they crossed the road on their toy scooters in October. The tragedy happened just hours after Kieran’s dad, Colin Lambert, had been teaching him one of the most important childhood lessons – road safety using the Green Cross Code.

Shocking figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show this was not an isolated incident. In 2006, a staggering 2,946 child pedestrians aged between four and eight years were injured and 12 killed on Britain’s roads. The numbers fall only slightly for older youngster – 2,415 youngsters aged between nine and 11 years were injured while 15 were killed. Sgt Duncan Street, of West Yorkshire Police’s road traffic department, says parents should lead by example to prevent their children becoming part of these chilling statistics. He told Flying Start: "Children learn from the actions of their parents and peers by picking up their habits from a very early age.

"The best way to teach road safety is by setting a good example and stamping out bad practices such as speeding, crossing the road without care or using mobile phones while driving." This year’s THINK! CopyCat parents’ campaign, from the DfT, echoes this view. Aimed at carers or families of youngsters aged four to 11 years, the initiative’s research shows that children mirror the behaviour of adults on the streets. It has also proven that children have difficulty judging speed or distance until at least the age of eight, and that schools cannot provide a full road safety programme.

Sgt Street added: "Simple things such as using pedestrian crossings, the green cross code and correct car seats are absolutely vital, as they instil good habits.

"Once they are older, you can then explain why you do these things in a certain way." Teaching road safety should start as early as possible and can continue well into the teenage years – the risk of a child pedestrian being involved in an accident rises significantly when they start school. From age one to four years, explaining what traffic is and how children should behave around it is a good place to start. When out together, make sure children walk on the side of the pavement away from traffic and are holding your hand or in a pushchair. Once a child reaches five, they can be taught the basics of the Green Cross Code and start to practice on quiet roads by crossing at first together, and later under supervision. At age seven all five points of the code - find a safe place to cross, stop before reaching the curb, look all around for traffic and listen, if traffic approaches, let it pass and when safe cross the road without running – can be taught.
When they know and understand it, practice crossing busier roads whilst wearing bright or fluorescent clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night.

An ideal way to learn road safety is while walking children to school, although the area around schools can be accident hotspots. Sgt Street said: "The potential for collisions is high around schools, and most related accidents occur slightly away from the premises.

"This is due to the high volume of vehicles present and because parents are probably concentrating on their child – it can be absolute chaos and police often have to issue warnings or fixed penalty notices

"Parents should try to walk if possible and must realise that the safety of all the children is paramount at these times." Children aged ten to 16 years are the most at risk of being killed or seriously injured by traffic accidents as they fail to take road safety and the dangers of traffic seriously. Parents can highlight these using frank discussion and by ensuring they are constantly aware of what is happening around them – distractions such as mobile phones and personal stereos often cause accidents.

Safety for children in cars and on cycles can also be improved by complying with legal restrictions. Youngsters must use car seats or booster cushions until they are taller than 4ft 5in and wear a helmet while cycling – visible clothing and cycle training are also good ideas. It is also illegal to cycle at night without a white front light, red back light and red reflector at the back. Sgt Street added: "Perhaps the most important part of road safety with children is crossing the road at a safe place, using designated spots or choosing somewhere you can see clearly across the road in all directions.


"People should never cross on sharp bends, just before the top of a hill or between parked cars – learning this young stays with people for life.

"Everyone needs to take responsibility for their own road safety because actions affect other people, sometimes to devastating effect.

"The loss of a family member, friend or loved one, particularly a child, is with you forever, and all it takes is a moment of inattention or stupidity." 

Further Road Safety Information:

• Statistics and advice are available online from the Department for Transport at www.dft.gov.uk or www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
• Brake, the road safety charity, set up November’s Road Safety Week and provides a helpline for people bereaved or injured in crashes on 0845 603 8570.
  Alternatively, visit www.brake.org.uk
• The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) can be called on 0121 248 2000 or emailed at help@rospa.org.uk.
• Bikeability gives advice on cycle training at www.bikeability.org.uk
• www.hectorshome.com is a website that includes free downloads of ‘The Peculiar Adventures of Hector’, an animation designed to educate children on road safety, along with games and interactive activities.