5 to 7-year-olds: safe to school

More than 450 children between the ages of 5 and 7 are killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads each year.

• Compared with older children, these are low-risk ages for road accidents.
• Most serious injuries occur when children are alongside urban roads.
• Busy main roads are a much greater risk than minor or residential roads.
• Boys are at most risk: nearly twice as many boys as girls are hurt on foot and about four times as many on a bicycle; in cars, boys and girls are hurt in equal numbers.

Which journeys carry most risk?

How a child travels – by foot, bicycle or car – affects the risk.

• A third of the journeys of 5 to 7-year-olds are on foot, but more than two-thirds of those killed or seriously injured in traffic accidents are pedestrians.
• More than 60 per cent of their journeys are by car, but only 15 per cent of deaths and serious injuries are to car passengers.
• Just 1 per cent of journeys by this age group are made on a bicycle, but 11 per cent of their fatal and serious injury accidents occur when they are cycling.
  

When do accidents happen?

The pattern of accidents to 5 to 7-year-olds changes between schooldays, holidays and weekends.

• Term-time casualties peak between 8-9am on the way to school, and again during the hour from 3pm after school, but remain high into the early evening as children play outdoors.
• Most casualties on the school journey occur when children are in a car or walking; in the afternoon and early evening, many more are hurt while playing outdoors.
• During school holidays and weekends there are few casualties during the morning; at lunchtime and through the rest of the day many more are hurt as they play outside.
• The risk is greatest during summer months, when children are more likely to play outside.
  

How can you help?

Take responsibility for teaching your children the safe rules of the road, and explain why they are important.

Walking safely

• Teach by example: always stop at the kerb, always use a pedestrian crossing if there is one, and always wait for the Green Man, even when the road is clear.
• Walk the route to school with your children and talk to them about where the risks are, where it is safest to cross the road, and why.
• Don’t let them run on ahead of you: always hold their hand on busy roads.
• Encourage their school to run classes in pedestrian safety if it doesn’t do so already.
• Help them to be seen more easily by buying them light-coloured, bright clothing and reflective bands. Try the Department for Transport Think! Brand Partnerships website for advice about suitable clothing and how to obtain it. www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/brand.htm#crs
  

Riding safely

• Teach by example: always wear a cycle helmet and bright, reflective clothes if you cycle, and make sure your children do as well.
• Go for rides with them and demonstrate safe and considerate cycling.
• In general, children under the age of 9 should not be allowed on the roads alone, but if you judge your children are old enough, make sure they are trained on a safe cycling course. Go to www.bikeability.org.uk or www.roadsafetyscotland.org.uk
• Only when they pass the course should you allow them to cycle alone off-road, or possibly in a defined part of a very quiet cul-de-sac.

Motoring safely

• Teach by example: always belt-up, keep to speed limits, and never drink and drive.
• Drill into your children why they must always belt-up, no matter whose car they are in (almost one in 10 children aged 5 to 13 don’t).
• Know and use the correct restraint for the ages of your children. New laws about child restraints have been introduced. Between the ages of 3 and 12 children under 4ft 5in (1.35metres) tall need a booster seat if they weigh up to 25kg or a booster cushion (over 25kg). Go to www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/childcarseats/pdf/law-leaflet.pdf