With the school year just around the corner, it is important to remember to keep Ontario’s roads safe for all. Children will be walking with parents, friends, in groups or alone to/from school in the early morning and late afternoon, also during lunch time. Here are some important tips for pedestrians, motorists and parents/caregivers. At Wee Watch, we provide before and after school care, some of our wee ones will walk to/from their Providers home to school, their safety is of utmost importance to us as is the well-being of all children who are on Ontario’s roads as pedestrians.
Things to remember as a pedestrian:
- Cross at marked crosswalks or traffic lights, not in the middle of the block or between parked cars;
- Make sure drivers see you before you cross;
- Cross when traffic has come to a complete stop;
- At a traffic light, cross at the beginning of a green light. Do not cross once the “Don’t Walk” signal begins to flash or once the light has turned to yellow.
Never cross on a red light:
- Watch for traffic turning at intersections or entering and leaving driveways;
- Wear bright or light-coloured clothing or reflective strips, when walking in dusk or darkness.
- If you have a cell phone, please make sure to pay more attention to the road than to your texts or calls.
Things to remember as a motorist:
- Be patient, especially with older pedestrians who need more time to cross the road;
- Always look for pedestrians, especially when turning;
- Remember, stay alert and slow down on residential streets and through school zones.
Things to remember as a parent or Provider:
- Teach and reinforce the proper techniques for crossing the road safely with your child.
- Stress the importance of walking on the inside of the sidewalk, or where there are no sidewalks, as far away as possible from the travelled portion of the road;
- Stopping before the edge of the sidewalk at all times;
- Being alert and stopping at driveways and where there are no curbs.
Resources:
https://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/topics/pedestrian.shtml
https://www.parachutecanada.org/injury-topics/topic/C14
https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=ssl#q=pedestrian+safety+ontario