Walking School Bus

Guidelines for talking to children about pedestrian safety 

Parents decide when their child is ready to walk without an adult. First, they need to teach their child when and where it is safe to walk and to cross the street. 

Teach children to: 

  1. Always look for cars for yourself

    Drivers are supposed to obey the rules and watch for people walking. But you cannot count on them to always remember.

  2. Choose the safest routes to walk with the fewest and safest streets to cross

     Avoid crossing busy or high-speed roads.

  3. Walk along the street safely

    This means: 

    • Use sidewalks or paths. 
    • If there are no sidewalks or paths, walk as far from the cars as possible and face traffic. 
    • Watch for cars turning or pulling out of driveways.

  4. When crossing the street at mid block

    1. Stop at the curb and look left, right and left again for traffic. 
    2. Wait until no traffic is coming and begin crossing. 
    3. Keep looking for traffic until you have finished crossing. 
    4. Walk, don't run across the street.

  5. If you must cross between parked cars

    1. Stop at the curb and check to see if the cars are running or if anyone is in the driver seat. 
    2. If safe, cross to the edge of the parked cars, and look left, right and left again before crossing.

  6. When crossing the street at an intersection

    • Obey traffic signs and signals. 
    • Remember that just because it is your turn to cross does not mean that it is safe to cross. 
      • Do not trust that cars will obey the rules or that turning cars will see you. 
    • Look for yourself to see if cars are coming. Look left, right and left and then behind you and in front of you for turning cars.
Was this page helpful to you? * required