Hugo and friends answer your questions.
1. If there isn’t any pavement and I have to walk on the road, what side of the road should I walk on?
If you live in an area where there are no pavements, you should walk on the right hand side of the road to face oncoming traffic. This is safer than walking with your back to the cars because you can see vehicles coming and can move out of their way.
2. When should I wear a cycle helmet?
You should wear a cycle helmet whenever you are riding your bike.
3. Why should I wear a cycle helmet when riding my bike?
A cycle helmet will protect you if you fall off, or are knocked off, your bike. If you don’t wear a cycle helmet and you crash you will be badly hurt.
4. What is the green cross code?
The green cross code is a checklist of six rules you should follow when crossing the road. The rules are:
- Think – find a safe place to cross
- Stop – stand on the pavement near the kerb
- Look and listen – look all around for traffic, and listen
- Wait – if traffic is coming, let it pass
- Look and listen again – when it’s safe, walk straight across the road
- Arrive alive – keep looking and listening for traffic while you cross.
5. Is it safe to cross the road between parked cars?
No, you should never cross the road between parked cars. A driver in one of the cars might pull out and could knock you down. You should always look for a safe place to cross the road.
6. Where is a safe place to cross the road?
A safe place to cross the road is at a pedestrian crossing. There are six types of pedestrian crossing (see question 7 below).
7. What is a pedestrian crossing?
A pedestrian crossing is a place where you can cross the road safely.
There are six types of pedestrian crossings:
- Pelican crossings
- Zebra crossings
- Puffin crossings
- Toucan crossings
- Pegasus crossings
- Traffic islands
8. What is a pelican crossing?
A pelican crossing is a crossing controlled by traffic lights. These are often in busy towns and are activated by the person waiting to cross the road. Pelican crossings use a red man to tell you when to stop, a green man to tell you when it is safe to walk and a flashing green man to tell you when it isn’t safe to cross. A pelican crossing can also help blind and partially sighted pedestrians by sounding a bleeper when it is safe to cross.
9. What is a zebra crossing?
A zebra crossing is a crossing where black and white stripes are painted onto the road and there is a flashing orange beacon on either pavement. These crossings give pedestrians the right of way. You must make sure that all traffic has stopped before you use the crossing.
10. What is a puffin crossing?
Puffin crossings are similar to pelican crossings but instead of a green and red man being on the other side of the road, they are above a ‘Wait’ box. The puffin crossing is different in that it knows when someone is waiting to cross and it also knows when they have reached the other side.
11. What is a toucan crossing?
A toucan crossing is also known as two can cross, because pedestrians and cyclists can both cross. A red and green cycle signal is given as well as a red and green man signal.
Toucan crossings are similar to puffin crossings as they are both operated by a push button on a ‘Wait’ box. Toucan crossings are sited where cycle routes cross roads and cyclists do not have to dismount to cross.
12. What is a pegasus crossing?
Pegasus crossings are special crossings for horse riders where the push button is placed higher up so the rider can reach it. The red and green man is replaced by a red and green horse.
13. What is a traffic island crossing?
Traffic islands, also known as pedestrian refuges, are crossing points found in the middle of wider roads where there is no crossing point. This helps to narrow the road giving you a safe area in which to wait before crossing the other half of the road. You should cross each part of the road, before the island and after the island, separately. Drivers have priority at traffic islands.
14. Why should I wear fluorescent clothing when walking near roads during the day?
Wearing fluorescent clothing during the day makes it easy for drivers and other road users to see you.
15. Why should I wear reflective clothes at night?
Wearing reflective clothing at night makes it easy for drivers and other road users to see you, as a vehicle’s headlights will reflect off your clothing.
16. Who is a green traveller?
A green traveller is someone who uses modes of transport that don’t waste energy or pollute the environment, such as walking or cycling.
17. Do I have to use a child booster seat when travelling in a car?
Yes, you must use a child booster seat when travelling in a car until you reach 135cm tall or your 12th birthday, whichever one comes first. Younger children must use a suitable child restraint.
18. Why do I have to wear a seat belt or suitable child restraint when travelling in a car?
You must wear a seat belt or a suitable child restraint when travelling in a car to stop you from being thrown around in the car, or thrown from the car, if you crash.
19. What could happen if I don’t wear a seat belt or suitable child restraint and I am involved in a crash?
If you are travelling in the back of a car you could be thrown forwards and could kill the person in the seat in front. If you are travelling in the front passenger seat you will be thrown forwards into the airbag which could seriously injure or kill you if you aren’t wearing a seat belt.
20. What is a Junior Road Safety Officer?
A Junior Road Safety Officer helps North Yorkshire County Council’s road safety officers by helping to spread road safety messages to all of the children in school, helping to keep children safe on the roads of North Yorkshire.
21. How can I become a Junior Road Safety Officer?
If you would like to become a Junior Road Safety Officer contact the road safety team on 08458 727374 or email 95alive@northyorks.gov.uk