Primary school students

Primary school children are still developing the skills needed to safely recognise, assess and respond to traffic. Even when they appear confident, they continue to need active adult supervision and regular opportunities to practise safe behaviours.

Primary school children:

• are still learning to judge the speed, distance and direction of vehicles
• are smaller and less visible to drivers
• can be easily distracted and may focus on one thing at a time
• may know road safety rules but find it difficult to apply them consistently in different situations.

Parents and carers can support their children by:

• modelling safe behaviours whenever travelling together
• practising safe travel routes regularly
• reinforcing road rules and safe decision-making
• gradually building children's skills and confidence as they become more independent travellers.

Download We need a hand in the traffic environment (PDF 911 KB)

Secondary school students

As young people enter secondary school, they often travel more independently and experience increasingly complex traffic environments. Although they have developed greater road safety knowledge, they are still vulnerable because they are continuing to develop the skills needed to recognise and manage risk.

Secondary school students may:

• experience more distractions, including mobile phones and friends
• take greater risks or be influenced by peer behaviour
• travel more often by public transport, bicycle or on foot
• have increased exposure to busy roads and unfamiliar traffic environments.

Parents and carers continue to play an important role by:

• having regular conversations about safe travel choices
• encouraging responsible decision-making
• reinforcing safe road user behaviours
• supporting young people as they develop the confidence and skills to travel safely and independently.

Download Vulnerabilities of young people (PNG 510 KB)