Wellness Articles
Attached are weekly health and wellness articles provided by Alberta Health Services. As a way to help all Albertans live a healthy life, we welcome and encourage weekly newspapers, community newsletters and other publications to reproduce this information free of charge. Credit to Alberta Health Services or the identified content provider would be appreciated.
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Proposed publication date: October 12, 2015
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This week’s Healthy Content is an excerpt from Apple, Alberta Health Services’ health and wellness magazine. Credit to Apple magazine is appreciated. For more information on Apple please visit: www.applemag.ca.
Point, pause, proceed
Vehicle collisions involving children happen most often in September and October, followed by May and June, says Parachute, a national injury prevention organization. Back to school is a busy time with new routines and daylight decreasing. Teaching your child how to safely cross the road and recognizing when he is ready to do this alone are important.
Before letting your child cross a road alone, he needs to show you he can do it safely. To do this, he needs to understand where it’s safe to cross (such as corners and marked crosswalks) and be able to judge vehicle speeds and traffic gaps. He also needs to know how to make eye contact with drivers.
“Most children develop the skills to cross roads alone between nine and 11 years old,” says Carrie Herrick-Fitzgerald, a coordinator with AMA School Safety Patrol.
The School Safety Patrol emphasizes teaching your child to:
Point Stop and extend your arm and fingers
Pause Look in all directions for traffic, make eye contact with drivers and wait until all vehicles stop
Proceed Cross the street, keeping your arm and fingers extended and staying alert.
Your child learns pedestrian safety by copying you and other adults. Help him by following and talking about the rules and avoiding distractions such as talking on a cellphone while walking.
Point Stop and extend your arm and fingers
Pause Look in all directions for traffic, make eye contact with drivers and wait until all vehicles stop
Proceed Cross the street, keeping your arm and fingers extended and
— reprinted from Apple magazine