Top Tips for Walking to School Safely in Winter

Walking to and from school has never been more popular as parents recognise the benefits of exercise and fresh air not only for the children but also for themselves. But as the darker mornings and evenings draw in, it’s important families keep as safe as possible on their daily journeys. To coincide with the launch of our Home Safe campaign in Scotland West where we are donating hi-vis vests to primary schools near our 10 developments, we’ve pulled together some helpful tips on how to walk to school safely.   

Plan your trip

It can be quite daunting for older kids when they start taking themselves to and from school. Set out a safe walking route in advance with plenty of pedestrian crossings. In no time, kids will be familiarised with a mapped out and safe route, putting parents mind at ease. Road Safety Scotland has some great advice on planning your trip on their website.  

Be visible

Make sure the children can be seen.  According to advice from Police Scotland, high vis yellow vests are great for making children easy to spot. Being visible can alert drivers or cyclists, especially in the winter months, that your child is there, reducing the risk of accidents on the road.

Be vigilant

It is important that your child can see danger and avoid it.  Advice from Think! suggests parents should encourage kids to find a safe place to cross, look left and right for oncoming traffic and always walk across the street and never run to avoid tripping over and causing an accident.

Follow the Green Cross Code

We all know it, so drill it into every family member. Spend some time on the Road Wise website and remind children every day to Stop, Look, Listen and Think. 

Usually, children can cross with ease on their way to school, but sometimes there isn’t always a clear path, traffic light or zebra crossing. Encourage kids to find a safe place to cross the road, listen for oncoming traffic and when there is no traffic near, cross quickly but safely.