04 Dec Keeping Kids Safe on Our Streets This Summer
With school holidays bringing more children outside, experts warn that pedestrian injuries remain a major risk. Here’s what parents need to know about today’s hazards — and the practical steps that keep kids safe.
Getting Street Wise: Helping Children Stay Safe Around Traffic
As the six-week summer holidays begin, children will spend more time walking, riding and playing outdoors. But increased freedom also brings increased exposure to traffic. Experts say protecting children requires a mix of supervision, better street design, and real-world pedestrian skills.
“Children under 10 simply don’t have the cognitive ability to judge speed and distance reliably.”
— Road safety researchers, Transport for NSW
Pedestrian injuries remain one of the leading causes of serious harm for Australian primary-school–aged children. While long-term trends show improvement, risks rise during holiday periods when children are outdoors more often — often without the routine of supervised school travel.
Why Children Are Still at Risk
Many parents assume that a child who can physically cross a road is ready to do so independently. But experts say road crossing is a complex cognitive task.
Children under 10 are still learning to:
- judge how fast a vehicle is approaching
- understand whether a car is accelerating or slowing
- assess safe gaps in traffic
- remain focused when distracted by friends or devices
Because of these developmental limitations, safety agencies advise that young children always cross roads with an adult.
“Even confident children misjudge speed. Walking with an adult is still the safest option.”
— Kidsafe Australia
How Modern Roads Create New Dangers
Today’s road environment presents hazards that didn’t exist a decade ago:
- Bigger family cars
SUVs and utes now dominate Australian roads. Their height reduces driver visibility, especially of small children. They also cause more severe injuries on impact.
• More: ANCAP
- Smartphone distraction
Drivers and children alike are often distracted. Even a one-second lapse in attention dramatically increases crash risk.
• More: Australian Road Safety Assoc.
- Busy summer streets
Holiday shopping, increased delivery vehicles and more children playing outdoors all heighten risk — especially around driveways, parks and shopping strips.
- The “illusion of safety” at crossings
Children often assume zebra crossings and traffic islands guarantee safety. But drivers may not slow down or may be distracted.
Common Accident Scenarios
Despite better technology, most injuries still fall into predictable patterns:
- Dart-outs: children stepping out from behind parked cars
- Rushing through intersections
- Driveway and car-park incidents
- Misjudging turning vehicles
Reversing cameras have reduced the number of driveway tragedies, but Kidsafe warns that they do not eliminate blind spots — especially for toddlers.
• More: Kidsafe
