About Pedestrian safety

Pedestrian road safety advice has taken many forms over the years, ranging from The Tufty Club to Road Safety Sam. But the key elements haven’t changed greatly and are clearly defined within the Green Cross Code. Whilst pedestrians and vehicles are safer when kept apart, inevitably there are times when coming into close proximity is unavoidable. The basics of the Green Cross Code deal with the safest way to cross the road and state the following:

1. First find the safest place to cross

• If possible, cross the road at: subways, footbridges, islands, zebra, puffin, pelican or toucan crossings, or where there is a crossing point controlled by a police officer, a school crossing patrol or a traffic warden
• Otherwise, choose a place where you can see clearly in all directions, and where drivers can see you
• Try to avoid crossing between parked cars and on sharp bends or close to the top of a hill. Move to where drivers and riders can see you clearly
• There should be space to reach the pavement on the other side

2. Stop just before you get to the kerb

• Do not get too close to the traffic. If there is no pavement, keep back from the edge of the road but make sure you can still see approaching traffic
• Give yourself lots of time to have a good look all around

3. Look all around for traffic and listen

• Look in every direction
• Listen carefully because you can sometimes hear traffic before you can see it

4. If traffic is coming, let it pass

• Look all around again and listen
• Do not cross until there is a safe gap in the traffic and you are certain that there is plenty of time
• Remember, even if traffic is a long way off, it may be approaching very quickly

5. When it is safe, go straight across the road – do not run

• For more information on the Green Cross Code and hints and tips on how to help children understand it, please visit the Department for Transport’s “Think!” campaign website