Don’t text and walk, kids warned

File photo.

File photo.

Published Feb 11, 2011

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London - Parents are failing to teach their children about the dangers of using distracting technology such as iPods and mobile phones while crossing the road, a survey suggests.

One in ten children aged between seven and 12 admitted that they regularly cross while engrossed in texting or talking on their phone, or listening to music on their earphones.

By not having their full attention focused on traffic, they risk being hit and killed by a car.

But they are hardly being set a good example, as one in three parents admitted doing the same. The survey commissioned by car insurance company Admiral also found that 42 percent of the 1,317 parents polled did not follow the Green Cross Code, along with 18 percent of the 1,000 children aged seven to 12.

This is despite the fact that the majority of parents believed that roads had got busier and drivers faster in recent years.

Kevin Clinton, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “Parents and carers have an important role to play in helping their children learn about road safety from an early age.

“And, of course, it’s important that the adults themselves set a good example.” - Daily Mail

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