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Safe Kids Baltimore

Pedestrian Safety

Safe Kids Baltimore

Each year in early October, Safe Kids Baltimore partners with the Baltimore City Traffic Safety Coalition to focus on international Walk Your Child to School Day.

A “Walk This Way” event is held at a host elementary school and several others also participate by focusing on pedestrian safety with their students that week.

The coalition has also monitored some crossing areas known to be dangerous to pedestrians and works with other city agencies to promote pedestrian safety throughout the city.

Pedestrian Safety Tips:

  • Never allow a child under age 10 to cross the street alone.
  • Use safe pedestrian behaviors and teach them to your children.
  • Understand and obey traffic signals and signs.
  • Cross streets at the corner and use the crosswalk.
  • STOP at the edge of the curb before crossing the street.
  • Look left-right-and left-again before crossing the street and keep looking as you cross.
  • WALK, don’t run, as you cross the street.
  • Walk facing traffic on sidewalks or as far to the left as possible if there are no sidewalks.
  • Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.
  • Try to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them at the crosswalk.
  • Always hold a child’s hand in a parking lot.
  • Make sure your child plays in safe places such as yards and playgrounds and not in the street.
  • Teach your child never to run or dart into the street for a ball, pet or another reason.
  • Wait for buses on the sidewalk.
  • Make sure the bus comes to a complete stop before getting on or off.
  • Never walk behind the bus – always cross at least 10 feet in front of a bus, where you can be seen by the bus driver.
 Walk This Way Event
Parent teaching children to walk safely

For more information contact Safe Kids Baltimore at 410-328-7532 or safekidsbaltimore@umm.edu or visit Safe Kids Worldwide