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March 10, 2022 at 11:58 am in reply to: Highway Code changes – influence of child pedestrian training #17535
Anne Hardy
ParticipantIn Hertfordshire, Pedestrian Skills training, due to the age participating which is usually 8-9 years old, the children would always be advised that if a car stops for them, beckoning them to cross on an open road, they should not do so as they could not be sure if the traffic approaching on the other side of the road would stop too.
As a statement of “non-intent” to cross, children are taught to take a stride back away from the kerb and reinforce the signal but shaking their heads “no” to the driver. Children are always advised that in any situation, if they feel it is unsafe to cross, they should not do so.
With the changes in the Highway Code, the above procedure will be reinforced further to children so that if they do not feel it is safe to cross, they should not cross while using the statement of “non-intent”. Cars stopping to let children cross during Pedestrian Skills training is likely to become more frequent so this should be discussed from the very start of the activity.
On an additional note, guide dogs are trained not to cross on an open road when a car stops for them. They will only do so on safer crossing places such as a zebra, pelican or puffin crossings so our technique follows similar thinking.
Anne Hardy, Hertfordshire County Council
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