Imagine not being able to judge how fast a vehicle is approaching or where its sound is coming from. That’s the experience of children under 10 each time they step onto a road. And yet, 91% of Malaysian parents do not even escort their young children to and from school!
Do not take your child’s safety for granted. Always accompany him when walking on the road, even for very short walks. Hold his hand at all times and let him walk on the inner side of the road. Do this until he is more than 10 years old and is familiar with the traffic rules below:
- Always walk, do not run.
- Walk against the flow of traffic and as far to the edge, away from the traffic, as possible.
- Do not cross highways or at corners as drivers may not be able to see you. Use traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, overhead bridges or tunnels where available.
- Before crossing a street, look right, left and right again. Do not step onto the street until it is clear that there are no vehicles and it is safe to cross.
- Understand and obey all traffic signals and signs.
- Do not walk onto the street from between parked cars or behind bushes as drivers may not be able to see you and stop in time.
- Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up.
- Remember to wear bright-coloured clothing to increase your visibility on the road.
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