The Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) is urging teachers, parents and other caregivers in the Western Cape to promote good road safety habits.
Young people are encouraged to wear high-visibility clothing when walking near roads or using public or school transport, especially during misty and rainy days in winter, and in the early morning when visibility is poor.
Communities and individuals are also being reminded they can apply to their local municipality to have traffic calming measures put in place near schools such as lower speed limits, speed bumps and appropriate road signs.
DTPW offers the following tips for keeping children safe:
- Make sure children are well versed in the rules of the road, particularly when it comes to crossing the street safely
- Encourage children to cross the street at designated crossing points wherever possible. Encourage them to look right, left and right again before they cross a road, even if the pedestrian traffic light is green
- Make sure that children stay away from freeways
- Encourage child pedestrians to wear high-visibility clothing, especially when visibility is poor
- Discourage children from wearing earphones or headphones when walking. It is important to be able to hear any approaching vehicles, especially when crossing a road
