A childish question

Preparing for the new school year is not just about purchasing pens, pencil cases, notebooks and other school supplies. This is also a time for parents to pay special attention to the safety of children on the roads. Izvestia dealt with how to ensure that a child does not get into trouble on the way to school and back.

Vital issues

The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is the most potentially dangerous period for a child in terms of road safety. After a three-month vacation, a significant part of which was spent in a health camp, at the cottage or in the village, children, as a rule, do not immediately adapt to a fast rhythm again, psychologists say. Despite the fact that children's safety issues should be constantly addressed when they participate in traffic, before the start of the school year, it is literally vital not only to tell, but also to show the child how to behave on the road.

According to operational statistics, about a third of all accidents involving children are related to hitting young pedestrians. So, for seven months of this year, 3,437 such incidents were recorded on the roads of our country (-3.2%). And a significant part of such incidents do not occur on a busy road at all, but in courtyards, according to the State Traffic Inspectorate.

— When leaving the house, it is necessary to clearly show the child that bushes, trees, garbage cans and cars parked in the yard restrict the view of both him and the driver. Therefore, in no case should one run out onto the roadway, even if it is in the courtyard — it is necessary to ensure that this skill is steadily formed in a young road user," said Police Colonel Anton Belan, deputy head of the propaganda department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Before the start of the school year, it is necessary to walk the route from home to school, sports section, club and back with the child several times, the Traffic police strongly recommend. Moreover, you should switch roles with the child so that he acts as an escort. This will allow, on the one hand, to better consolidate his necessary skills, and on the other hand, to identify possible mistakes in his actions and prompt him with the correct algorithm of actions.

During the summer holidays, changes in the organization of traffic could occur on the usual route "house — school — house": for example, a traffic light appeared at an unregulated pedestrian crossing, perhaps an underpass opened away from the traditional route. Parents need to analyze these possible changes together with their child and, taking them into account, develop a new route to an educational organization, sports section or club, the Russian State Traffic Inspectorate emphasizes.

— In the conditions of modern traffic, the principle of "stop at the red, go to the green" can no longer provide a complete guarantee of safety. A deeper analysis of the traffic situation is needed," says Anton Belan.

It is necessary to remind the child that before a pedestrian crossing, regardless of whether it is equipped with a traffic light or not and which signal is on, you should definitely stop, take off your headphones, put your smartphone in your pocket, lower your hood, and fold your umbrella, the Traffic Police recommend. Then it is necessary not only to look in both directions several times, but also to listen for vehicles approaching the crossing, which is not yet visible. Only after that, after making sure that the crossing is safe, you can go out onto the roadway, continuing to assess the situation, the department reminds.

Don't catch up with the bus!

Schools, leisure facilities, or sports facilities are not always within walking distance from the house. In some cases, the child has to travel to and from classes, including by public transport. Because of this, additional potential dangers arise on the "path to knowledge", to which parents need to pay special attention to their children, the Russian State Traffic Inspectorate emphasizes.

The child should be reminded: while waiting for a bus, trolleybus or tram, it is necessary to stand as far as possible from the edge of the roadway, inside the bus shelter, and approach the approaching transport only after it has stopped completely and the doors are open. In the cabin, if there are empty seats, it is safer to ride sitting, if this is not possible, then you should definitely hold on to the handrails.

— It is necessary to cross the road only when public transport departs from the stop and does not restrict the view and only in the places allowed for this. It is absolutely forbidden to try to enter the salon when the doors are closing. And it is absolutely unacceptable to run across the road when you see an approaching bus. And in order not to get into such situations and not rush to classes, it's best to leave home with plenty of time," Anton Belan emphasized.

Children require a belt

Many parents prefer not to send their child to school on their own, but to take him to school by car and pick him up after class, believing that it is safer this way. This statement is true only if all the requirements of the rules for transporting children are met, the Traffic Police emphasize. They must be performed on any trip with a child in a car, regardless of the distance and route. Accident statistics show that in the first seven months of this year, over 33.5% of child passengers killed in road accidents were transported in violation of established regulations.

The traffic regulations clearly state that a child under the age of seven must travel in a car only in a child restraint system, the Traffic Police recalled. If a child is over seven years old and has already grown out of a child safety seat, then it is allowed to transport him in the back passenger seat of a car — he must be fastened with a seat belt so that the diagonal strap runs over his chest and not over his neck, the Traffic Police emphasize. If the belt adjustments do not allow such an arrangement of the straps, then the child must sit on a special booster, which ensures the necessary location of the standard seat belt, the department notes.

— It must be remembered that various surrogates, called "straps", "triangles", "clamps", "adapters", are not child restraints (systems). Their use is unacceptable and prohibited by traffic regulations. Practice shows that the use of such alleged devices in the event of an accident leads to serious injury or death of a child," said Anton Belan.

He recalled that by itself, transporting a child in a child safety seat cannot provide full protection for a young passenger if the driver does not comply with traffic regulations and practices an abrupt driving style. The key to a safe trip with a child in the cabin is the most law-abiding, calm and careful driving style, eliminating overtaking and other potentially dangerous maneuvers, as well as full attention to driving and constant monitoring of the traffic situation, said the deputy head of the propaganda department of the Russian State Traffic Inspectorate.

On two wheels

In early autumn, the weather still allows you to ride bicycles and scooters without any problems — this is one of the favorite activities of children and teenagers in their free time. During such trips, it is important to remember that a child under the age of seven can ride a two-wheeled vehicle only on sidewalks, pedestrian and bicycle paths and only accompanied by adults. Persons under the age of 14 can ride bicycles and scooters on their own, but without leaving the roadway. And only older teenagers are allowed to move along the right edge of the carriageway or shoulder, provided that vehicles with a speed of no more than 60 km/h and bicycles are allowed on this road, as well as if there are no bicycle paths, bike lanes or lanes for cyclists, sidewalks, footpaths, or there is no possibility to move along him.

— Mandatory accessories for both children and adults for riding a bicycle or scooter are a helmet and knee pads and elbow pads, which protect against serious injury in a fall. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to cross the roadway with such equipment — you should get to the pedestrian crossing, dismount and cross the street along the zebra crossing, driving a bicycle or scooter nearby," Anton Belan reminded.

Unfortunately, teenagers' interests are not limited to bicycles and scooters. Motor vehicles, especially pitbikes, are an extremely dangerous hobby among minors. Moreover, such "gifts" are often bought by the child's own parents.

— A driver's license with an open category M is required to drive a moped and scooter. You can get it from the age of 16 after graduating from driving school and successfully passing exams at the State Traffic Inspectorate. At the same time, you can only ride a moped on public roads with a buttoned motorcycle helmet. As for pit bikes, they are basically prohibited from driving on public roads, the Russian State Traffic Inspectorate emphasizes.

However, children and teenagers often find themselves driving cars and motorcycles even without the knowledge of adults. And here the State Traffic Inspectorate gives the simplest advice: keys and documents from transport should be kept out of the reach of the child.

Be brighter

With the onset of autumn, daylight hours are shortened, and very soon you will have to leave home for school at dusk. And rains and fogs worsen the already poor visibility on the roads. Therefore, retroreflective elements are mandatory for children and adolescents.

In addition, the Traffic police remind that choosing the clothes for a child is an important element of taking care of his safety. Parents often prefer jackets and trousers in dark shades based on the fact that they are less branded. However, in them, the child becomes almost invisible on the road at night, the department notes.

— Outerwear in light, bright colors and necessarily with retroreflective elements is preferable — the more of them, the better. They will make the child much more visible to drivers on the road at dusk and in conditions of limited visibility," Anton Belan noted.

Drivers get ready

Drivers also need to prepare for the start of the new school year. They should take special care and attention on road sections near schools, sports, leisure facilities, parks and other places where children may suddenly appear on the roadway, the Traffic Police remind. Here, motorists should reduce their speed as much as possible and be ready to stop the car at any moment. Special care should be taken when driving in courtyards and adjacent territories, especially when maneuvering in reverse.

How safe the start of the new school year will be depends on the joint efforts of parents, teachers and drivers, according to the Russian State Traffic Inspectorate. To protect a child from dangers on the street and prevent tragedies is possible only by constant reminders of the rules of safe behavior on the road, examples from adults, as well as strict compliance with traffic regulations by all road users.

The material was prepared as part of the implementation of the federal project "Road Safety" of the national project "Infrastructure for Life".