Reverse Carefully and Other Road Safety Tips to Keep Your Children Safe

When it comes to the safety of our children, we often cover all grounds and plan ahead. We make sure that they wear knee pads and helmets when riding their bikes. And when they are out with friends, we make sure that we get in contact with them at all times, maintaining a line of communication, when possible. Even with the laid plans and intentions, accidents can happen on and off the road. And a significant portion of low-speed car accidents involve young children by reversing cars. Just last year, a number of reversing accidents revolve young children. It was reported that a two-year old girl was hit by a reversing vehicle in Sydney’s south-west, and a three-year old boy suffered the same fate in Brisbane. These accidents are largely preventable provided that safety devices and accessories are installed and everyone involved are properly informed and guided. Here are some steps that you can take to keep your kids safe on the road, and help promote a safer roads for everyone.

Be aware of their location and activities. It’s important that you check on your children before you get into the vehicle. It’s important that you are completely aware of their location and who is looking after them before attempting to reverse the car. And if you are the only person who’s responsible for their safety, then make sure that you take your kids in the vehicle with you. Keep in mind that kids at a young age are curious and physically active, and they will naturally seek open areas to play.

Don’t let them play in the driveway or near the road. Most of the reported reversing accidents often happen in residential driveways, often in their own homes. To prevent these kinds of accidents, make sure that you discourage or even prevent them from playing in the driveways or areas near the road. Another option is to add a safety gate that will prevent your children from using the driveway. This may not completely prevent reversing accidents but it can surely serve as an extra layer of protection.

Visually check the area before attempting to reverse. Cars are known for their blind zones. As a responsible driver, you need to be aware of this limitation and provide immediate solutions. As a practice, you may want to visually check the vehicle and the surroundings before attempting to reverse.

Install a reversing camera system. A reversing camera will serve as an ‘extra pair’ of eyes that you can use on the road especially when addressing blind spots. Reversing cameras can come in different designs and camera configurations. A basic reversing camera system is enough to keep your family car safe on the road.

Educate them about road safety and the dangers of reversing cars. It’s never too early to introduce them to road safety and the dangers of reversing cars. You can start by informing them about the risks and dangers associated with playing around driveways and cars. Early education and information can be critical in keeping them safe around cars. And through this step, they become more aware of their surroundings and they can easily develop safe travel behavior.

By taking these extra steps, you not only protect your kids from reversing accidents. You also do your share in keeping the roads safer for pedestrians and other drivers.