How to help your kids get through the day safe and sound

Kids see, hear and react differently

Spatial perception is not fully developed in children until the age of nine – until then, they might, for instance, perceive a truck as being closer than a car that's actually the same distance away. Due to their height, kids are also unable to fully see over parked cars. Their field of vision is also limited, comprising only 30 percent of an adult's. Their hearing ability is also lower by 10 decibels, meaning that they can misjudge the direction that a sound is coming from or not hear it at all. A four-year-old's reaction time is also twice as long as an adult's – they have a hard time stopping an action when told to do so and are still ruled by their senses: if I can't see it, it's not there! By being aware of the stages of child development, we can prevent some accidents from happening.

The right clothing

You can help prevent potential accidents by simply choosing the right clothes: kids should wear comfortable attire that lets them move freely. Small children don't notice when their shoes are too small or tight, as their nervous systems aren't fully developed yet. Choosing the right color of clothing is also important. According to a study by the German Automobile Club (ADAC), drivers can't see children wearing dark clothes until they're about 80 feet (25 meters) away. Children wearing bright clothing can be seen somewhat sooner – about 130 feet (40 meters) away.

But for children wearing a safety vest, it's a different matter altogether: they are clearly discernible up to 460 feet (140 meters) away. For this reason, ADAC issues around 770,000 free safety vests to new primary school students in Germany each year. These vests are neon yellow with a hood and feature highly reflective materials. Kids should never transport glass bottles, which can easily break and cause injuries, inside their school bags. Drink bottles made of a light, unbreakable material are a better choice. A correctly carried backpack – one that offers freedom of movement, features both a chest and a waist strap and rests firmly against the back – provides even more protection, especially when equipped with extra reflectors for added visibility.

Safety – no matter which way they go

If your kids ride their bikes to school, they should always wear helmets. You can practice riding with your kids in a designated learning zone or simply build your own course in a traffic-free area. Besides reflectors and functioning running lights, kids should also carry fluorescent devices. Thanks to its high-quality, highly reflective material, the ergobag school bag offers all-around visibility. This helps make kids more visible from a greater distance in traffic. The 3-piece safety set can be zipped onto the ergobag set to provide even more visibility and is available in four bright colors: orange, green, yellow and pink.