Sources & review

Stop before entering the road, look all around and listen; cross only when there is a safe gap, and keep looking and listening while crossing.

Use a designated crossing when one is available and still look in both directions before stepping into the road.

Before stepping onto a crossing, take account of approaching vehicles and do not proceed until there is a safe opportunity.

Avoid crossing between parked vehicles where possible; choose a place where you can see traffic and drivers can see you.

Put the phone away and stay focused near traffic, continuing to look and listen while crossing.

At a signal-controlled crossing, follow the pedestrian signal and check that traffic has stopped before crossing.

In reduced visibility, bright or light-coloured clothing and reflective details can help drivers notice a pedestrian sooner.

A child should practise a regular route with a responsible adult and identify crossings, junctions, hazardous sections and places with poor visibility.

Use a pavement, footway or other path along the road when one is provided, and remain aware of the surrounding traffic environment.

If a pavement obstruction or closure means you may need to step into or cross the road, stop and check the traffic carefully before leaving the pedestrian area.

At a junction, look for vehicles turning into the road, including traffic approaching from behind, and choose a place where drivers can see you.

Do not cross behind a vehicle that is reversing, showing white reversing lights or sounding a reversing warning.

When walking in a group, continue to pay attention to the traffic environment; conversation and play can pull children's attention away from road safety.

Do not let catching a bus replace the normal safe crossing routine; if the stop is across the road, stop, look, listen and cross only when it is safe, even if the bus leaves.

Get on or off a bus only when it has stopped to allow passengers to board or leave.

When getting off a bus, watch for cyclists and check every possible direction before stepping across a cycle or bus lane, because traffic in those lanes may move differently from the main flow.

Do not cross directly in front of or behind a bus; wait until it has moved away and you can see clearly in both directions before choosing where and when to cross.

Before riding, use a bicycle that fits, and check that its brakes, tyres, wheels, handlebars, chain, lights and reflectors are in suitable working condition for the journey.

Wear a bicycle helmet that meets the applicable standard, is the correct size, sits correctly and is securely fastened; a correctly used helmet can protect the head in a fall or crash.

Minimum-age and other cycling requirements differ by country. Check the rules that apply locally, and build skills through suitable cycle training—including starting, stopping, route planning, road positioning and signalling—before attempting more complex traffic situations.

Before moving away, changing position or turning, look all around, check traffic behind and give a clear signal when it is safe to do so; a signal communicates an intention but does not make the manoeuvre safe by itself.

At junctions, watch for vehicles that may turn across your path, especially large vehicles whose drivers may not be able to see you; if you do not feel safe to ride through, wait or dismount and wheel the bicycle across at a safe opportunity.

Use the seat belt or approved child restraint required for your size and the rules that apply locally. It must be correctly adjusted, fastened and used according to the vehicle and restraint manufacturers' instructions; ask a responsible adult to check if the fit or setup is uncertain.

Passengers should stay calm and avoid behaviour that distracts the driver or interferes with driving. Requests that require the driver's attention, such as looking at a screen or retrieving an item, should wait until the vehicle is safely stopped.

After the vehicle has stopped, check all around for cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and other traffic before opening a door. When able, using the hand opposite the door can help turn your head for a shoulder check; open only when it will not put anyone in danger.

Where it is available and safe, children should enter and leave on the side next to the kerb rather than stepping directly into moving traffic; a responsible adult should choose and confirm the safe side for the situation.

Build a changing picture of the road by scanning well ahead, nearby and to the sides rather than staring at one object. Notice early clues and keep looking as the situation develops.

An early clue—such as brake or reversing lights, a ball entering the road, a vehicle's position, or a person near an edge—can signal that the situation may change. A clue is a reason to prepare and recheck, not proof of what will happen.

A blocked view, a signal from one road user, or apparent eye contact does not confirm that every path is safe. When important information is missing, keep a safe position, create more time or space, and verify the whole route before moving.

When several things compete for attention, first protect your safe position and deal with the possible movement that could reach your path soonest. Stop in a safe place if needed, then scan again instead of trying to solve everything while moving.

Hazard-perception learning should be practised with a responsible adult on familiar real routes, discussing clues, safer positions and alternative actions. Completing digital activities does not transfer adult responsibility or prove readiness for independent travel.

At junctions and roundabouts, several paths can meet, split or turn. Before moving, scan every direction that can reach your path—including behind for turning traffic—and choose a place where you and drivers can see each other.

Parked vehicles, buses, shelters, hedges and walls can hide you from drivers and hide moving traffic from you. Driveways add vehicles that can cross the pavement. Keep back, look for movement clues and move to a clearer safe viewing position instead of stepping into a hidden path.

At road or pavement works, the familiar route may be closed, narrowed or redirected near moving traffic and machinery. Stop in a safe place, follow the signed temporary pedestrian route and responsible-adult guidance, and never step around a barrier merely because the usual path is shorter.

At railway and tram crossings, use the designated crossing, obey local lights, alarms, barriers, signs and staff, and never enter while a stop warning is active or a barrier is moving. Before crossing, confirm the whole track area and the space beyond are clear; trams may be quiet and cannot steer around you.

Large trucks and buses can have limited-vision zones close to the front, along the sides and behind. Their length also changes the space used while turning. Do not wait, walk or cycle close beside them, squeeze between them and the kerb, or cross immediately in front of or behind them; stay well back and wait for a clearly separated route.

If you cannot see a large vehicle's external mirrors or cameras, assume the driver may not be able to see you. Seeing a mirror is not proof that the driver has noticed you: the driver must be looking at the correct mirror or vision aid at the right time. Never test visibility by moving closer; create distance and wait.

Road signs form a visual language. Read the sign's shape and colour to identify its purpose family, then read the symbol and any additional panel for the specific message. Exact designs and legal meanings are implemented through local rules.

In the Vienna Convention system, danger-warning signs are generally triangles with a red border. They warn about a danger ahead, so the useful response is to prepare, scan and recheck rather than assume the sign itself makes the place safe.

Priority signs control who must yield or stop at interacting paths. Give Way/Yield uses a distinctive downward-pointing triangle and STOP a distinctive octagon so they can be recognised quickly, including by shape.

Prohibitory and restrictive signs commonly use a circular form with red. They say that a movement, road user or action is not allowed or is limited; the No Entry sign bars entry from the direction facing the sign for the traffic it addresses.

Mandatory signs commonly use a blue circle. They require the road user addressed to follow a shown direction or use a designated route, such as a cycle path, rather than merely warning that bicycles may be nearby.

Information and indication signs commonly use square or rectangular panels. They can identify the location of a pedestrian crossing, school area, route, facility or service; they provide information but do not guarantee that every approaching road user has seen or obeyed it.

The same symbol can appear in different sign families and carry a different purpose: a bicycle in a warning triangle warns of cyclists, while a bicycle in a mandatory circle designates a required cycle route. Read the whole sign, follow the local rule and continue observing the actual road situation.