When you re sure your child knows and understands them, let him or her start by crossing the quiet roads where you ve been practising. Watch and test before allowing the child to cross alone. Later, start to practise crossing busier roads together. Do this many, many times before you let your child cross alone. The age when children can use and understand the Green Cross Code is different for each child.
Many children can t judge how fast vehicles are going or how far away they are.
Children learn by example, so parents and carers should always use the Code in full when out with their children. Because children are still developing the skills to judge the speed and distance of vehicles, children under 11 should not be cycling in traffic. Once children are ready to make the journey to school alone, reduce the risk of accidents by making them easily seen. Bright or fluorescent clothes show up best by day, especially in dull or misty weather, but fluorescent clothing doesn t work after dark. Reflective material does.