Although they are not yet old enough to drive, it is very important for children to learn about safety on the road. Particularly in a large city, they will be confronted with daily situations where road safety becomes a matter of life and death. As a pedestrian and bicycle rider, they will need to be careful and follow safety rules. Later, when they are old enough to learn to drive themselves, they will need to incorporate road safety into their own driving.
The best way to teach is by example. Try these seven tips and educate yourself and your kids about the best ways to stay safe out on the road.
Follow The Rules Of The Road Yourself
Your message to children about following safety rules on the road will go unheard if you don’t follow them yourself. If children or teens see you weaving through lanes, driving at high speeds, or ignoring stop signs, they will be encouraged to follow your example. No one is a perfect driver, but children should be able to observe you following the rules of the road when you drive, so they will know you consider them important.
Take Your Children with You to the Driver’s License Bureau
When you go to the driver’s license bureau to renew your license, you have a ready-made opportunity to teach your children about road safety. At the bureau they will be exposed to an environment that teaches the importance of driver safety. You can walk them through the process of obtaining a driver’s license, and let them read theposters and pamphlets available at the bureau regarding safe driving and the rules of the road.
Take Your Children on a Safe Bicycle Trip
This is good exercise for you, and an important lesson for children. Take a bike trip with them. Show them how to observe biker safety on the road, and guide them to the safest areas to use a bicycle, such as a bike path. Make sure you and your children are wearing safety helmets or reflective clothes for early evening. Help them install safety devices on their bicycles, such as reflectors and headlights. Show them the correct arm signals for turning and communicating with cars around them.
Use The Accidents You See as an Object Lesson
This should be age-appropriate. If you are watching the news on television about a car accident, talk to your children about the possible reasons it occurred, and why it is important to observe safe driving. Give them alternate scenarios for how to avoid such accidents. For example, in an accident caused by bad weather, you can explain to them that it is important to drive slowly and at a safe distance when weather is bad.
Join a Safe Driving Organization
Volunteer organizations such as Mothers AgainstDrunk Driving give you an opportunity to help in an important cause and teach your children at the same time. If your children see that a cause is important enough for you to join, they will understand the value it should have in their own life. You can also encourage your teens to volunteer with such organizations if possible.
Bring Your Children with You to a Defensive Driving Course
Enroll yourself and your children in a defensive driving course. A defensive driving course has something to teach everyone, even children who are not yet able to drive. It teaches drivers, pedestrians, and bikers to be aware of the behavior of drivers on the road, and to expect the unexpected. This is a valuable lesson to learn yourself, and to pass on to your children.
Arrange A Visit To A DWI Lawyer
It might seem strange, but lawyers who deal in drunk driving cases have a great deal of life experience to share in their area of expertise. If you have a teen who has been caught drunk driving, it may be worth the small fee to have him talk to a Sacramento dwi lawyer. Let the attorney know you would like to talk to your teen about driver safety, and what can happen when driving while intoxicated. If your teen is in danger of losing their license because of drunk driving, a lawyer may be able to help them know their options.
There are many ways you can teach your children road safety that have not been expounded here. All that is needed, is a little creativity and a desire to share the message. Be the best example you can of good driving.
