You know that massive jolt of panic when your kid gets close to the road?
Your heart sinks, your hand shoots out to grab their hoodie, and your voice comes out way too sharp as you try to tell them to slow down.
Yeah. Been there, done that.
The thing is, this isn't the moment you should be scared of. And I know that my saying that doesn't really mean much to you, and it won't take away your anxiety, but the stuff that's actually concerning is the walk to the corner store on a Tuesday afternoon or crossing to the mailbox. And we don't even think about any of it because it's 'normal'.
The fact is that your kid isn't a tiny adult.
Their brains literally process traffic differently. For instance, if there's a car coming their way, they'll stare right at it instead of stepping out because they're not good at accurately judging speed. Their brains are still wiring up, and a lot of the things we see as careless are just that.
I'm not about to share a fearmongering list because who needs that?
But there are a few very specific street situations that I feel like are important to be aware of.
The Seemingly Small Street Dangers
The parking lot at school pickup and the street in front of your house feel safe, right? That's because these are all familiar to you, not because they're truly safe. And that's exactly what makes them tricky, which is why ordinary streets you don't think twice about can be risky for kids.
Kids Don't See Speed the Way You Do
This is going to surprise you because I know I was shocked when I found out, but it's the truth - your child's brain literally can't process moving cars the way yours can.
The part of the brain whose job it is to judge speed and distance isn't fully developed until late teens.
You see a car coming your way and feel like there's plenty of time. An 8-year-old will feel like that car is super far away (or won't even notice it).
Another thing that little kids tend to believe is that, if they can see the driver, the driver can see them, and they'll just automatically stop. They don't get that cars need time and distance to slow down. The fix here is simple, but you'll need some patience for it: wait until the vehicle actually stops, not just slows down.
And even if it feels awkward (and it probably will), make eye contact with drivers.
The Street You Know Can Be the Riskiest
When you walk the same streets every day, you get used to them, and your brain goes on autopilot.
You've got a lot of things on your mind, and you simply zone out, even when you're crossing the street. But when you look at some alarming/disturbing data points, such as fatal pedestrian incidents in Chicago, where it is shown that the number of pedestrians involved in vehicle crashes in the city was almost 2500, with 48 of them resulting in deaths (Illinois Department of Transportation), or the same data for New York City where the number of fatalities was 51 in 2025 (New York State Department of Motor Vehicles) - what are you supposed to think?
Is your child supposed to become a statistic in some online article?!
You'd think that accidents happen mostly on highways, but they don't; a lot of them happen in small neighborhoods with people going on routine trips.
The point is, if your awareness drops, even the street you know as well as the back of your hand can be dangerous.
Crosswalks Aren't Magic
Crosswalks are very important, and they make traffic immensely safer for pedestrians.
But safer and 100% safe aren't the same thing. Drivers roll through crosswalks all the time, especially when they're turning right on red. And what they're scanning for isn't your kid but other cars.
This safety rule feels stupidly simple, but it works: scan each lane on its own before you step forward. Even when the signal says walk, take a pause anyway and look.
This alone saves more lives than all the crosswalk paint in the world.
Distraction Works Both Ways
We all worry about drivers on phones, and we get angry when we see them doing it.
But kids zone out, too. Take headphones, for instance.
If there is a kid wearing headphones, how would they be able to hear a car approaching or a vehicle honking the horn? That's trite - they wouldn't hear it.
And even more so if they're fully immersed in what they're listening to (podcast, music, talking to someone over the phone, etc.
The solution here is simple and EVERYONE should apply it:
| ABSOLUTELY NO screens while crossing the street. No exceptions. |
No pausing a game, no checking messages, NOTHING.
And look, we parents have to model it, so you can't be staring at your phone, either.
Conclusion
So basically, it all comes down to better habits.
Tiny, boring little habits that don't take any mental energy once they're locked in. Wait an extra second and let your kids see you putting your phone away every single time you cross the street.
Kids are little mirrors, and they'll do exactly what you do, not what you say, so make sure you're doing the right thing.
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