Drivers should be extra careful if they see children in traffic as kids’ behaviour can be hard to predict.
You don’t want a kid to suddenly run into the street without stopping to check whether a car is coming.
Generally speaking, children are often unable to correctly assess speed and braking distances.
This makes participation in traffic confusing and overwhelming for them, says Auto Club Europa.
So as soon as you see children, reduce your speed and be ready to brake at any time.
When drivers see a child standing at the kerb intending to cross the street, many stop and signal to the children with a gesture.
Don’t, says the auto club.
Dangerous misunderstandings can arise as children might rely on such signals and run off without paying attention to traffic.
That can be even more dangerous if vehicles from the opposite direction do not stop.
It is hard to have a complete overview of the traffic situation, says ACE spokeswoman Svea Hagen.
A vehicle could come from behind, whose driver does not notice why the car in front has stopped and overtakes, which could have fatal consequences for the child.
And children’s lack of traffic maturity means drivers must generally expect to be held accountable after an accident, even if objectively speaking, they have done nothing wrong but have overestimated a child’s traffic competence.
So it is generally better to drive past children at the roadside. Always be ready to brake and travel at a lower speed.
At a zebra crossing, where stopping is mandatory, it is advisable to seek eye contact after stopping and simply wait, says Hagen.
This way, the decision of when to go is left to the children themselves, strengthening their sense of responsibility and preventing dangerous misinterpretations. – dpa
