New school term means new focus on child pedestrian safety

A new school term starts today for children across South Africa, bringing an immediate increase in pedestrian activity on the roads and a renewed focus on safety. Every journey to and from school now highlights the critical need for vigilance, as young pedestrians face daily dangers that demand immediate attention from drivers and guardians alike. Their safety depends on every one of us, every single day.

Pedestrians consistently account for between 35% and 40% of all road fatalities in South Africa each year, a grim statistic that underscores the urgent need for action.

The Arrive Alive road safety website stresses that while complex socio-economic factors influence where children live and if they have adult supervision, raising awareness and offering practical safety advice can greatly prevent these heartbreaking deaths.

Essential Safety Advice for Young Learners:

Parents, teachers, and carers must give children important safety information. This includes advice on:

• Where to Walk: Children should walk on pavements. If there's no pavement, they must walk as close as possible to the road's edge, facing oncoming traffic. This keeps them out of the way and lets them see cars from far off. When using pavements, children must remember to share the space.

• Crossing Roads: The safest places to cross are marked areas like traffic lights ("robots") and other junctions, pedestrian bridges, zebra crossings, and scholar patrol points. At controlled crossings with traffic lights, children must only cross when the green pedestrian man shows and it is safe. If the red man appears while they're in the middle of the road, they should keep crossing. If still on the pavement, they must not cross. Don't cross on an amber/yellow light. Children should stay between solid white lines, watch for moving vehicles, and cross quickly.

• No Markings: In rural areas or places with no special crossing, children should find a straight stretch of road away from sharp bends or anything blocking their view (like bushes or hills). They must see clearly in both directions before crossing.

• Pedestrian Bridges: These are safe for crossing busy roads or motorways. Children must remember that no pedestrian can walk on a motorway and should use the bridge even if it means walking a little further.

• Marked Pedestrian Crossings: Even at these crossings, children should not expect drivers to stop. Drivers might not see them or pay attention. Children must always stop, look for turning vehicles from both ahead and behind, and make sure traffic has stopped before starting to cross. They must stay alert at all times and walk quickly, never run.

Crossing the Road Safely:

Crossing streets between junctions and and through moving traffic is very dangerous. Teach children:

• To "Stop, look right, left and right again."

• Never cross without looking both ways and checking for no traffic.

• Don't walk and stop halfway across the road.

• Stay by the road until both lanes are clear.

• Look and listen for traffic while crossing.

• Walk quickly, but don't run.

• When crossing near a bus or taxi stop, make sure the road is clear of parked or stopped vehicles that block the view of fast-moving traffic.

• Always cross in a straight line, as this is the shortest and safest path.

Distractions and Visibility for Children:

Many pedestrian deaths happen because of a lack of attention, especially among children using mobile phones or listening to music. Teach children:

• To be attentive and avoid distractions.

• To use all their senses near traffic – listening and looking.

• To be extra careful around friends. Children sometimes chase things like a ball or hat into the road.

Be Visible, Be Seen:

"See and Be Seen" is the key rule for crossing streets. Crashes often involve pedestrians who are hard to see, especially those walking on road shoulders without high-visibility or reflective clothing. Advise children to:

• Wear bright and high-visibility, reflective clothes.

• Carry a torch when walking in the dark.

• Never think they have been seen, as drivers can be distracted.

• Be cautious. Drivers are generally good people, but don't rely on them paying attention.

• Make eye contact with drivers passing parked or stopped vehicles where they want to cross.

• Make sure drivers see them, then take all usual care before crossing.

• Always stop and look for cars suddenly coming out of hidden driveways, especially when walls or large vehicles block the view.

Road Safety for Motorists as Schools Start:

Drivers play a vital role in keeping child pedestrians safe:

• Before Driving: Tragically, young children are sometimes killed by relatives in driveways. Drivers must take a moment to check the area and look behind the vehicle before starting. Scan mirrors and be careful of young children in blind spots.

• Slow Down: Drivers must reduce speed in areas with pedestrians, such as settlements and residential areas. Be ready to slow down. Pedestrians are harder to see, especially in bad weather or at night, so slow down to allow time to react. Stay alert and avoid distractions. Don't overtake vehicles near these areas, especially in bad weather.

• Look Out: Watch for pedestrians walking away from you at the side of the road, unaware you're coming. Stop for pedestrians who are on or near your side of the road at a pedestrian crossing, even if it's not marked. When stopping for a pedestrian at a crossing, stop well back so drivers in other lanes can also see and stop in time.

• High-Risk Zones: Be acutely aware of informal settlements often next to main roads, which may lack formal crossings or pedestrian bridges. Exercise extreme caution near schools, recreational areas, sports fields, and parks. Be very careful in residential areas with high walls and sharp corners. Watch out near bus or taxi stops where passengers might suddenly cross. If cars are stopped, they might be letting a pedestrian cross; don't pass if unsure. When turning, drivers must watch for gaps in traffic, but also for pedestrians who might have moved into their path.

The Blind Spot Initiative 

In recent years, many schools, teachers, and learners have benefited from the Imperial Scholar Patrol initiative and pedestrian safety information from Active Education trainers and the Imperial Road Safety Mascot, Bongie. By showing children a real truck, they see its size and learn that drivers cannot see everything due to blind spots. This has been a "huge eye-opener," with big responses from children and adults. Few are aware of the blind spot right in front and to the side of a truck. Learners are now less likely to run in front of a stopped truck after learning about a driver's limited view in the blind spot directly ahead. The blind spot next to a truck and other vehicles is a high-risk area, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. Drivers must stay alert to blind spots.

Adult Supervision is Key:

Defensive driving means driving thoughtfully and staying alert. Remember that if one child is present, more might be nearby, and a small child could suddenly appear from in front of a parked car.

Due to social and economic challenges, including high divorce rates, single parenthood, and absent parents, many younger pedestrians are unsupervised. These children often don't learn safety from responsible parents. It is often up to teachers and other relatives to educate them:

• Kids are small, unpredictable, and can't judge car distances and speeds.

• Don't let kids play near traffic or cross the street alone.

• Drivers might not see small kids who run into the street.

• When kids get older, teach them three steps before crossing: Try to cross at a corner with a traffic light, stop at the kerb, and look right, left, and then right again to make sure no cars are coming (cars will first come from the right).