Child safety and driving

Adults should set a good example, supervise and help children understand how to cross the road safely. Here’s some things to keep in mind.

Stop, look, listen, think and talk

As a guide, remember to:

• stop at the kerb when waiting to cross
• look in all directions for oncoming traffic
• listen for anything coming
• think about whether or not it is safe to cross the road
• talk through why it may or may not be a good idea to cross the road with your child. You may start with talking about traffic signals, such as what the green light means

Walk on the footpath

The safest place to walk is on the footpath facing oncoming traffic. This ensures that you can be seen, particularly where there is no footpath.

Cross at marked crossings

• Where possible, cross the road at a marked crossing. 
• Avoid unsafe habits such as jaywalking.
• Warn children not to cross between parked cars as their low height means they can't easily be seen or see oncoming traffic.

Hold your child’s hand

Always hold your child's hand when walking near traffic, including on the street, in car parks or anywhere they may be at risk.

You might not think small children are in danger in their familiar environments, but they are. This includes around their home such as driveways and streets.

Supervise

Children should always be supervised around driveways and treated with the same caution as roads - the same dangers are present.

Some things to remember are:

• ensure children are holding an adult’s hand or remain buckled up in a car when near vehicles
• children shouldn’t play around moving cars
• take particular care when cars are pulling in and out of driveways.

Separate

Driveways should never be used as a play area. Children should play in the backyard rather than the front yard with clear barriers (security doors, fencing or gates) between driveways and play areas to prevent easy access to driveways.

Before you drive, you should:

• check the rear-view mirror and look over your shoulder before reversing 
• walk around vehicles before getting into a car if you know children have been near vehicles.

While parking sensors and reversing cameras can improve reversing visibility, you shouldn’t rely on parking them. A small child can easily be difficult to see if they’re behind a vehicle.

Remember, that the 'blind space' behind your car can be more than 15 metres.

When travelling with a child, you should keep some things in mind. This includes:

• Remove or secure any loose items inside the car. They will be thrown around in a crash and can cause serious injury. Cargo barriers in station wagons, hatchbacks and vans are essential.
• Provide only soft toys to play with while travelling.
• Always use the safety door when getting children in and out of the car. This is the rear door that is the furthest away from traffic.
• Use child locks on back doors if these are fitted.
• Always get the least mobile child out of the car first, then your attention can be focused on the child more likely to run out into traffic.
• Never leave children alone in a car. 

Children must be buckled up and seated in an appropriate car seat based on their age and size. A child should remain in a particular restraint until they’ve outgrown it. 

If a child takes their arms out of the straps of their car seat, check that the straps are adjusted firmly enough and set above the shoulder. 

Remember to set a good example for children and always wear your own seatbelt when travelling in the car. Also, explain to children that you can't go unless the seatbelts are all buckled.

Find out more about baby car seats and child restraints.

Children should sit in the back seat and if practical, install restraints in the centre seating position. Never install a rearward facing restraint where there is an active front passenger airbag due to the high risk of injury.

The law requires that:

• from birth to under 4 years, children must travel in the back seat in cars with two or more rows of seats
• 4 to 7 years, children can only travel in the front seat if all available back seats are being used by younger children
• children aged 7 years and older can legally travel in the front seat.

If they are not tall enough to sit in the front seat, there is a risk of injury from an airbag. 

Research has found positive relationships between parents driving styles and their children’s future driving styles.

Try to display non-risky, patient, and non-aggressive driving styles when your children are passengers. This will help them develop good driving behaviours when they are older.

Practice some routine behaviours to avoid accidentally locking children in cars. This includes:

• never let children play with keys as they can accidentally lock the car 
• avoid distraction when loading and unloading the car
• have an easy way to hold your keys
• wind windows down before putting children in the car in case the car automatically locks (remember to wind them up after you start driving).

RACV tested the interior temperature of a car on a 30-degree day and found that the inside temperature reached 70 degrees.

The interior temperature of a car quickly rises to unsafe levels for occupants, regardless of the vehicle’s colour or if it has tinted windows or reflective sunshades. Leaving the windows slightly open also does not help to significantly reduce the temperature inside the vehicle.

Young children are particularly vulnerable because they’re more sensitive to heat than older children and adults. A young child’s body temperature can rise 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s temperature. This places them at greater risk of heatstroke, dehydration and other health risks.

Considering the dangers that vehicle lock-ins pose to young children, RACV prioritises call-outs of this nature as urgent and provides assistance as fast as possible.

If this situation happens, you can call RACV Roadside Assistance on 13 11 11. You don’t need to be an RACV member in this situation.

If your child is distressed or in need of medical attention, call 000 immediately.

If you see a child left in a car and are concerned for their health, call 000 immediately.