By: Sadiqa Kendi, MD, MPH, FAAP
Walking is great exercise and gives everyone a chance to be outside while traveling from place to place. Children usually aren't ready to cross streets on their own until they are at least 10 years old or later, depending on whether you think they're ready. Until they can consistently use safe behaviors during walks, your child should be accompanied by you or another trusted adult.
When walking with your child, you can also gradually introduce pedestrian safety skills, show your child safe routes, and talk about traffic and other hazards to avoid. Here's what to know.
Teaching pedestrian skills to younger children
Walk with your child. Know that they will watch and learn from your walking habits, so keep this in mind that every walk is like a mini-lesson! Point out what you are doing and explain why it keeps you safe.
Choose a route that has sidewalks or a walking path. If there are no sidewalks, walkers should face traffic and keep as far to the left as possible.
Cross at a crosswalk whenever possible. Hold your child's hand.
Be visible. Remind your child that drivers may not see them, and it is important to make eye contact with a driver before crossing the street. Wear bright clothing, choose well-lit streets, and point out barriers like fences, walls and bushes that can block visibility for drivers and pedestrians.
Watch when crossing driveways, alleys and bicycle paths. Teach your child to look for cars, bikes and scooters when crossing a driveway or alley. Drivers may not see them, especially when backing up.
Small children should not play on
driveways or in yards next to driveways.
Look and listen. Remind your child that a car may be coming even if they do not hear it. For example, electric or hybrid vehicles are very quiet, even when they are moving.
Avoid distractions. Let your child know that it's unsafe to walk while texting, scrolling or talking
on their phone, or listening to music with earbuds or headphones.
Be safe around trains. Teach your child to cross train tracks at designated
railroad crossings. They should only cross the train tracks when the gates are up and the train has passed. Never try to beat the train by crossing in front of it. The train may be closer or faster than you think. Let kids know that it's dangerous—and against the law—to walk along or on the railroad tracks.
Choose safe routes. Tell your child why you
prefer to take that route.
When is my child ready to cross the street alone?
Most children are not ready to cross the street alone until they are at least 10 years old.
If your child has a disability or condition that affects their mobility or behavior, keep in mind that they may need extra time to learn safe pedestrian skills. This may include learning how to use audible pedestrian signals and white-cane skills for children with visual impairment, or extra support from a trusted adult before crossing streets on their own.
Safety when walking—remind your child to:
Use a crosswalk or a corner whenever possible. Children are more likely to be injured when crossing somewhere other than a crosswalk or intersection.
Avoid distractions. It's unsafe to walk while texting, scrolling or talking on the phone, or listening to music with earbuds or headphones.
If there is a walk signal, wait until it shows "walk" before crossing.
Look left, right and left again before crossing. Keep looking until you're safely across.
Walk briskly in a straight line. Don't run.
Don't cross between parked cars.
Make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
Your child's first time walking without you
When your child is ready, choose a familiar route. Ideally, their first time without you will be on a route with light traffic, low speed limits and the least number of street crossings. Pick a quiet time of day with good visibility. Sunrise and sunset are challenging times of day. The changing light conditions can make it hard for drivers to see pedestrians.
3 key points to remember
Children learn the most about pedestrian safety from the behaviors they see modeled by trusted adults around them.
It's important for children to always cross at a crosswalk and make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
Walk without distractions—put the phone away and take earphones out to cross safely.
More information
About the author
 Sadiqa A.I. Kendi, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Children's National Hospital, Associate Division Chief of Academic Affairs and Research for the Division of Emergency Medicine, and Chief Medical Officer of Safe Kids Worldwide. She is an expert in injury prevention and health equity, and chair-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention.
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