Although there are promising educational techniques for improving the skills needed to navigate roadways and intersections, these require careful attention to implementation and will not, alone, ensure the safety of child pedestrians.33,34 The literature does suggest that pedestrian safety hinges on skills that can be actively learned and that, at some point, can reliably be taught. However, the abilities and developmental level of the individual child are important, and it is unlikely that most children can be taught to safely navigate diverse traffic environments earlier than 10 years of age.
Child Pedestrian Safety | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org)
Here’s what they want:
- All children under 10 years of age, should be accompanied by an adult when walking on streets.
- Children older than 10 should be “granted more independence” depending on the protections of the route.
- City speed limits should be reduced to 20 mph in all residential areas.
- Cars must automatically detect pedestrians and brake.
- All school zones must have speed enforcement cameras.
- Discourage children from playing in household driveways.
We had to walk elementary school – 6/10th of a mile, and by 4th grade, we rode our bicycles.
Today, most kids seem to be driven by private auto or school bus to their school.
My Mom actually learned to drive at age 12; she lived in a state which did not require a driver’s license of anyone, at the time. Not until the 1950s did she have to get a driver’s license!
