Spot the difference...it is extraordinary how simply wearing brighter/ flourcent colours in the day or reflectors at night, can significantly improve the chances of children being seen on these now much darker afternoons.
Road Safety Week is also approaching fast too (but keeping within the speed limits of course!).
Learning How to Be More Visible
Fluorescent for Day, Reflective for Night.
To help you teach children how to be safe and seen, there are three important things to mention if you are teaching children to be bright.
1. Right Time, Right Place!
Reflectors for Night (but not daytime): It’s really surprising how many adults don’t realise that reflectors don’t work in the day (but they are amazingly bright in headlights after dark). So a reflector on a school bag for a primary school child will not be helping them in daytime or towards dusk. In almost all of the UK, even in mid winter, it is not dark when primary school pupils are walking home (unless they have a late after-school club). So pupils need to know that a reflector goes on a coat or bag which they take out after dark.
Fluorescent for Daytime (but not after dark): Being bright in daytime and especially towards dusk on the school run is important too; this is where fluorescent colours help… those bright neon colours stand out during daylight, especially in poor daylight such as near dusk. The best way to be bright and seen day (and night) is to wear a hi vis waistcoat as it has a large fluorescent area (and reflective stripes for night). However not everyone may choose this option and being able to walk to school in 'normal' clothing should be enough for a child to do. The most important action is to address unsafe driving rather than what children wear after all! So blinging a bag or coat with fluorescent items will add brightness for the walk to school in a fun way, and encouraging parents to buy a brightly coloured coat for their children will be better instead of a dark one.
Our main message is: Fluorescent for Day, Reflective for Night.
2. Being Bright Helps But is No Guarantee They’ll be Seen
It’s important children understand that being bright can help them to be seen, but bright clothes or hi vis waistcoats are not a suit of armour and we all need to take care near traffic. Drivers don’t always pay attention; although they should. Being bright can make it
3. Walking Gives Them Road Sense
Finally, children and parents shouldn’t be too scared to walk or let their children walk as long as the route is reasonably safe. By getting used to traffic and regularly walking when they are with their parents, children learn how to cope with it – they practice making decisions and need to gain this road sense.
See our Why Walk for iWalk blog for fun images to help get children walking and keep promoting active travel alongside road safety.
For actvities you can complete at home with your children, follow this link
https://brightwayz.co.uk/8-bright-ideas-for-road-safety-week/
Are you worried about a child? https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/spotting-signs-child-abuse/
If you think a child could be at risk of significant harm, you can call the children's social care team at the council in Sutton (Go to their website)
020 8770 6001 (Monday to Friday, 9am and 5pm) 020 8770 5000 (out of hours)
Always call 999 in an emergency
