Children are at risk of pedestrian accidents when walking around, even when they are with parents. Kids are hard to truck drivers to see from a cab and since young children are still learning the ins and outs of traffic rules, they can make mistakes which can lead to traffic collisions in Hollywood and other communities.
If you want to keep your child safe from truck accidents, there are a few things you can do:
- Don’t assume kids can make safe choices every time. Even when children have been taught about safety and looking both ways when they cross the street, they will forget. If they are with friends, in a new environment, or distracted or excited by something, especially, they may step out into the street, forgetting all the lessons you have taught them. This is one reason why reinforcement and supervision are so important through age twelve.
- Reinforce traffic safety rules often. Do not rely just on one conversation or lesson. Bring up traffic and safety often. Walking somewhere together, driving your kids to school, or seeing pedestrian crossings on TV can all be good ways to have a conversation again.
- Be a good pedestrian yourself. If you jaywalk or fail to walk both ways, it just confuses kids because your actions and words do not match. Seeing what you say reinforced in your behavior, on the other hand, is very helpful for children who are learning.
- Make it a game. Play a traffic game with young kids, where you use green, yellow, and red colors to encourage them to walk, slow down, or stop. Play online educational games which can help them learn the basics while making it fun.
- Make sure your kids know lights aren’t always enough. Children who learn that green means “go” for pedestrians may get confused when some cars don’t stop. Teach your child to stay safe by emphasizing the importance of looking both ways, even when they have right of way.
- Bring examples of road signs into the house. You can buy or make stop sign, traffic light, and other traffic symbol printouts or images you can use to place around your house or even incorporate into games at home.
- Teach by showing. You can explain blind spots and other ideas, but it’s better to show kids. For example, when explaining that truck drivers have blind spots, have your child pretend to be in a “truck” and walk around them until they can’t see you. Have them point out when they can and can’t see you. Put larger objects (like boxes) in the way and have your kids pretend they are cars. Now ask them whether they can see you.
- Be patient. Traffic is a pretty complex topic and even adults make mistakes. Stay consistent with your teaching, but know your child may take some time to get everything right.
If you or a member of your family is injured in a truck accident, contact a Hollywood trucking accident attorney by contacting Flaxman Law Group. Our law team has more than 60 years of experience and in a free accident consultation we can help you understand whether you have a claim.