Preparing your preteen for independent travel to school

In a fast-paced world, it’s easy to assume that your preteen is naturally more aware of road safety. But sadly, this isn’t the case. In fact, according to road casualty data, road incidents are one of the leading causes of accidental death for children between the ages of 10-14, with the number of child pedestrian casualties more than doubling between the ages of 9 and 11.

While it’s true that older children may have a better understanding of road safety rules, the importance of reinforcing these principles as they make those first independent journeys cannot be overstated. Pedestrian road safety remains relevant regardless of age. So, if you think your DC is too old for a road safety reminder, think again.

As children grow so too does their independence, and with it, their exposure to potential hazards while out and about. Following best practice road safety behaviours can help your child to build the skills they need to make journeys independently as they grow. After all, younger children may hold their parent’s hand while crossing the road , but older children often venture out alone or with friends. They may even be travelling to school by themselves towards the end of primary school and in secondary school.

This new found freedom may lead to overconfidence and complacency as they’re distracted by friends and their smartphone, making it crucial to refresh their knowledge of road safety regularly. Which is why, a refresher in road safe behaviours with children of all ages is a great way to reinforce good road safety habits.

“It’s so important for parents everywhere to practise road safety with their children before they start that new stage in their school lives so they can know their children are following best practice when travelling without them”, shares Kimberly Wyatt, former Pussycat Doll and Heart Radio showbiz presenter.

“I have a nine-year old daughter, Willow, and my other children are growing up each day. So, their independent travel is something I’m thinking about at the moment.

“Willow is fast approaching that key age when she’ll be travelling to secondary school, which she may want to start doing on her own, so it's on my radar to start doing practice walks with her so I can role model safe behaviours.”

THINK! launch new campaign Safe Adventures

For 2024, THINK! is launching ‘Safe Adventures’, sharing three key rules of ‘Eyes Up, Slow Down, Cross Safely’ for parents to share with children as they plan to travel to school independently.

“Everyone has a role to play in keeping children safe on our roads” Transport Secretary Mark Harper shared, “so I hope this new initiative from THINK! helps parents put pedestrian safety into practice, improving road safety with the ultimate aim of saving lives.”

Parents are encouraged to put these steps into practice to prepare their child for safe adventures to come as they begin travelling independently. The importance of this refresher is made even more so by the fact that recent research from THINK! reveals that despite two in five (40%) of parents letting their child aged 9-11 travel to school independently, almost a third (31%) of parents are not confident that their child is equipped to travel independently.

“By following these easy steps, my daughter will be better equipped to embark on adventures safely”, Kimberley shares, “and I will have peace of mind that she is now more aware of the key risks.”

How parents can model good road safety

Of course, setting a positive example as a parent is important. Around half of parents with children aged 9-11 (50%) expressed concern about their child not concentrating during their independent journey to school, yet less than half (43%) of parents have had conversations with their child about independent travel to school.

Almost a quarter of parents surveyed (22%) are yet to do a practice journey with their child, and only 15% of parents planned to do a practice journey with their child during the Easter break. After all, children learn a lot by copying. So, parents and caregivers should demonstrate responsible pedestrian behaviour themselves while out and about for example using a pedestrian crossing where there is one and putting phones away.

Preparing for independent travel to secondary school

Schools and community organisations that your DC attends can play a vital role in reinforcing road safety education beyond early childhood. As your child grows more independent, particularly as they reach the last years of primary school and head towards secondary, they will most likely want to travel to and from school with their friends. But while your preteen might be anxious to get going, it’s a good idea to complete a few steps together before letting them venture out alone.

An easy way to start, that you can add to your list of things to-do before your child heads to secondary school, is by having a road safety conversation. Next, start by practising the route to and from school together. Doing this together will help you to identify road safety hazards where your child might not realise if they were on their own - this way, they’ll be able to better remember and have an increased awareness when they travel alone.

Things like crossing between parked cars and behind a bus are important to cover, as your DC will most likely come across these scenarios. After all, when they’re with their mates or on their phone, they might not always be paying full attention.

Stopping before crossings, putting the phone away, looking right, then left then right again for oncoming traffic, listening for any vehicles that may not be immediately visible, and thinking about the safest way to cross are habits that can save lives, no matter how experienced a pedestrian may be. So, as a parent, modelling these good habits will help your DC to remember and follow them while out and about when alone.

Road safety steps for kids to follow

Step one: Eyes Up

Feet should always be behind the kerb. Look right, then left, then right again for traffic and listen as traffic can come from any direction. Sometimes you can hear traffic before you see it.
Look out for and listen for approaching traffic, particularly for cyclists and electric cars that may be quieter.
Tempted to use your phone? Put it out of sight or out of reach before you start your journey.
Remove your headphones before crossing the road.
Look out for friends and don’t distract them.

Step two: Slow Down

Avoid running across the road when traffic is coming, even if you think there’s time, as it’s hard to judge the speed of traffic… Plus, vehicles might speed up so it’s best to let them pass.

Step three: Cross Safely

Find a safe place to cross, using a pedestrian crossing if there is one. Choose a place where you can see clearly in all directions and if an obstacle is blocking your view, or there is a bend in the road choose a better place to cross.
Use a crossing when you can - press the button and wait for all traffic to stop before walking into the road.
When you need to cross between parked cars, check that vehicles don’t have anyone in them and listen to see if their engines aren’t running before moving between them.
If your child gets a bus to/from school, make sure they know to wait for the bus to leave and have a clear view of the road from both directions before crossing.
Don’t stand on the kerb, and if there’s no pavement, stand at the edge of the road.

Parents embarking on a walk with their children should practise each scenario as much as possible.

About THINK!

THINK! is the Government’s flagship road safety campaign, established in 2000. Since then, THINK! has become recognised internationally for its iconic and ground-breaking campaigns that have challenged dangerous behaviours on Britain’s roads. Its campaigns have evolved from encouraging the use of seat belts to tackling excessive speed, drink and drugs, and the use of mobiles at the wheel. www.think.gov.uk.

The research was conducted by Censuswide with 1,005 parents of children aged between 9-11 from England and Wales only between 19.03.24 to 22.03.24. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council.

Learn more about THINK! here

About the author

Rebecca Roberts is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she commissions, writes, and edits to bring parents content designed to make life easier. As a mother of two herself, she knows first-hand how important it is to teach young children the importance of road safety while out and about. Beyond her role as an editor here at Mumsnet, Rebecca can be found balancing life as a working mum and when she’s not at her desk, you’ll likely find her at a local playgroup, in a nearby coffee shop, or walking the dog up and down country lanes.

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