At what age do you think it is safe for a child to cross the street? Would you have guessed 14? I sure didn’t! A new study showed that crossing a street is a pretty complex skill and not all kids were successful at doing it safely. In 2014, there were 207 deaths involving motor vehicles and children aged 14 and younger. How did they study this? Using a realistic simulated setting, they assessed the abilities of 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 year olds to cross a busy one lane road. The 6 year olds had difficulty 8% of the time, the 10 year olds had difficulty 5% while the 14 year olds could consistently cross with no problems. Eagerness overrides Judgment if you’re a child. Teach your children patience (that’s a tough one, right!) Allow them to make a decision to cross while you are with them. Help them pick the correct time. Keep them safe!
Susan Badaracco
