Kids Page - Safe Walking

Your parents may not allow you to walk near the road by yourself or with your friends yet. It can be very dangerous if you don't pay careful attention to everything that is going on around you. Your parents will know when you are ready to take this step toward growing up.

There are laws and rules to help keep you safe when you are walking. If your parents do allow you to walk along the side of the road, the most important thing for you to do is to stay out of the road. This is easy if you are walking in an area with sidewalks. In areas where there are no sidewalks, you should walk facing traffic on the shoulder of the road as far from the driving lane as possible.

What about crossing the street? In some areas there are signs, signals and roadway markings to help you cross safely.

	When you cross the street at a corner with a signal light, you should wait for the green light to show in the direction you are walking. At busy intersections there may be lines on the road called a crosswalk for you to walk between. There may also be special signals to tell you it is okay to cross the street. These are the WALK signal or a picture of a person walking like the ones shown here. Always look both ways before you cross the street, by looking left, right and left again to make sure no cars are coming or turning into the crosswalk.


	Yellow lights and signs mean caution or that you are coming to a dangerous area. If you are waiting to cross the street, you should not cross if the light is yellow. The light is about to turn red, and cars will enter the intersection.
	Like a yellow traffic light, both of these flashing "DON'T WALK" signals mean to use caution. If you are in the street, finish crossing the street. If you have not started crossing the street, stay on the curb. (If the lights in these graphics aren't flashing, try your browser's reload or refresh button.)

	This sign means you are coming to a crosswalk. Crosswalks are two white lines painted on the road which go across the street. You should walk inside the lines. Cars, bicycles and in-line skates must stop to allow people in the crosswalk to cross the street. When you use the crosswalk to cross the street, before you step into the street, you should look carefully to the left, right and left again to be sure it is safe to cross.
	This sign means you are near a crosswalk by a school. On school days this area will be busy when school is opening and closing. At this crosswalk, like any other crosswalk, it is important to look carefully to the left, right and left again if you have to cross the street. If you must walk through parked traffic, stop and look carefully before stepping out from between vehicles. Don't run between parked cars and buses. Remember the danger areas close to school buses where the driver can't see you. For more information on danger areas near school buses and public buses see: School Bus & School Zone Safety Page Public Transportation Safety Page.
	When the signal light turns red, stop. If the light is red in the direction you are walking, do not cross the street. At busy intersections there may be a DON'T WALK signal or a picture of a hand, meaning STOP like the ones shown here. Wait to cross the street until you see a white signal like the ones at the top of the page. Then look carefully to the left, right and left again. If there is no traffic coming, cross the street.

What if there aren't any signals or crosswalks?

If you must cross the street, you should cross at an intersection if there is one. Stop at the side of the road, and look carefully to the Animated Men - look left, right and left again left, right and left again. If there is no traffic coming, walk across the road. Don't run, you are more likely to fall.

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