Ensuring road safety
Zubair Hamid Parray
Road safety is must to be paid proper attention by every human being, whether using vehicles or not. Children and students are the most vulnerable group who end up as victims during these mishaps be it minor or major injuries and even death because of the lack of adult supervision.
There should no delay in making the children well aware about the road safety rules and measures in their early ages. It should be the duty of parents and teachers to teach them properly under their supervision.
Need of road safety knowledge for children
According to the statistics, it is found that in most of the accident cases children are involved, so they are at high risk age groups than any other age group. They need road safety knowledge and education early in their childhood. It should be started from their home and schools by adding this subject to their syllabus. Some points are mentioned below proving the fact that why road safety is so important for kids and children:
Children are children, no one can be sure about what they will do next at home or other crowded place especially on road during traffic situation.
Children become completely innocent, they cannot judge the vehicles speed moving on the road.
Drivers also cannot recognize their mood to move on the road especially when they try to cross the road in front of the vehicle because of their small height.
They cannot judge how often vehicles can come on the empty road.
They can cross road from anywhere on the road because they have no idea about proper place to cross the road.
They become fearful soon and do not understand what they should do when they see vehicles coming towards them.
Road safety rules for children
Following are some essential road safety rules that will play great role in protecting children from road accidents by making them responsible pedestrian on the road.
Parents should teach their children to be extra attentive and look everywhere (left and right) before crossing the road or a busy street.
Children should always cross the roads by holding hands of their elders or friends.
They should never run on the roads, should not be in hurry or leaving parent’s hand. They should always be calm while crossing or walking on the road.
They need to be more cautious on the road without getting distracted by anything.
They should be taught by their parents to follow sidewalks only or always use left side on the roads where sidewalks are unavailable.
They should be taught to only cross the roads at crossroads after seeing traffic signals for pedestrians.
They must be made aware of the meaning of colors (red means stop, green means go and yellow also means stop), traffic light basics and importance of traffic signs on the roads.
They should use rear side of the passenger seat while getting out of a car or bus.
Children should be taught to not to play on the roads or other places out of playing zone.
They should wear helmet and use all the measures while riding bicycle on the roads by ensuring proper functioning of brakes, horns and steering.
They should not use earphone or other music listening instruments while riding bicycle or any other vehicle on the road.
Parents may teach their children in better way by wearing seat-belts while driving a car or helmet while driving a bike anytime. Parents should follow all the road safety rules and road traffic rules while driving vehicle to establish good examples in front of their children as they are first example in the lives of their kids.
Conclusion: Road safety is very important for people of all age group to be safe and secure as well as reduce the number of road accidents and physical injuries. So, everyone should strictly follow all the rules, regulations and signs of road traffic lights. Children should be made aware by their parents at home and even teachers need to put in their bit by educating them in school about it.
(The author is an undergraduate student at Government Degree College Sumbal Sonawari)
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