#Thinking About Children's Safety | If Adults Fulfill Their Responsibilities, Awareness Will Bud in Children!

This article is an entry for the "#Thinking About Children's Safety" post contest.
Based on my safety awareness that has kept me accident-free for 40 years, I have dared to write down my thoughts in a down-to-earth and human way, focusing on "emotions felt," "case studies," and "action proposals."
It is a bit of a long read, but I would appreciate it if you could stay with me until the end. I only hope that my wish for traffic safety reaches you.

This is a thought that could be called my creed regarding traffic safety (safe driving). I would be happy if you could read it before the main text.

✅Introduction

"Don't you dare die at seven, because I'll be angry."

This haiku is a warning born from a mother's sense of crisis, love, and desire for her child to know the preciousness of life as she tries to tell her child who is heading out, "Don't get into a traffic accident."
Feeling that "Be careful today!" was too sweet and insufficient, when I put my heartfelt wish into words, it emerged as a straightforward expression, "Don't you dare die, because I'll be angry," born from clear, strong thoughts and emotions.
There is no point in being angry after a life is lost, but it is a phrase that mixes a taboo in a somewhat ironic, and in a sense, humorous way, overflowing with parental closeness, under the premise that such things rarely happen.

✅The growth of new first graders and the dangers behind it

Elementary school, new first graders. When they first entered school, they were in a state close to toddlers who didn't know left from right. However, after one or two months pass, they become remarkably reliable, able to make decisions and act on their own will. Naturally, their choices of paths to walk increase, and their way of walking, direction, and speed change. This is very joyful.

However, wait a minute!

It is dangerous when they start to get used to things, when the arrogance of being able to do things by themselves, even though they are small, begins to appear.
It is cute while they are walking on the road fearfully in the new traffic society, but caution is necessary precisely when they have shed their skin and their degree of freedom has increased.

In particular, one must be careful when they step onto roads with heavy traffic on bicycles that have just had their training wheels removed, or when they are in a state where they can jump into traffic situations and environments that change drastically due to traveling far.

Naturally, they are still too immature and incomplete both mentally and physically.
Their physical abilities are not yet fully developed. Their sudden actions will lack judgment, and they will likely be frail and lack agility. They have not yet mastered the knowledge of traffic rules enough to internalize them. They are just riding a two-wheeled vehicle that can reach speeds of 20-30 km/h with the same feeling as a pedestrian; far from thinking about the nuisance or danger to those around them, they are not even wearing helmets, and their own safety is insufficiently secured.

✅Examples of near-misses

I have encountered near-misses several times, as referred to in Heinrich's Law. From among them, I would like to introduce the characteristics of children (mistakes that children are prone to make) that can be called representative.

❶ Running out into the road chasing a ball as if it were a picture!

They say that moment feels like slow motion, and that was exactly the case. A soccer ball flew out from a side street, and a young girl ran out straight after it without looking left or right and without any hesitation.
Fortunately, the car was traveling uphill at a low speed, and with the help of negative inertia, it was able to stop safely just before the girl.
It was a chilling moment, wondering what would have happened if I had been driving downhill.
In such moments, there is no time to even honk the horn.

❷ Passing through a 'Stop' sign on a bicycle while completely ignoring it!

In a residential area with undulating roads, the four corners of the intersection have poor visibility due to stone walls and block fences, and naturally, there is a 'Stop' sign and a stop line marked on the road.
I witnessed a boy riding his bicycle through it, letting the momentum of the slight downhill slope carry him straight across.
It was an event that happened in an instant, before I could even shout, 'Hey!'
Is it okay just because nothing happened?
I regret that I couldn't catch him and give him a lecture.

❸ An unexpected U-turn (reversing) at a signalized pedestrian crossing!

While left-turning and right-turning cars were waiting for elementary school students to cross the pedestrian crossing, just as most of the group was finishing crossing, one boy suddenly turned back, causing a car that had just started moving to slam on its brakes and shake violently.
From a driver's perspective, it is very difficult to instantly move your foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal when you were just about to press down on it.

❹ Suddenly running out from a group loitering in front of a pedestrian crossing!

When I was about to make a right turn at a T-junction, I saw a group of 5 or 6 elementary school students chatting in front of a pedestrian crossing. As a driver, I must give priority and stop when there are pedestrians intending to cross. Just as I moved my foot to the accelerator, wondering if they were going to cross or not, one boy from the group ran across the pedestrian crossing. I recall that the pedestrian signal was already flashing at that point.

❺ Walking spread out across the entire road, even in a school zone!

During morning group commutes, everyone walks together led by an older student leader holding a school flag, while being watched over by parents and crossing guards. However, on the way home, the group tends to scatter, and I often see them walking while chatting and taking up the entire road.
When I encounter a group on their way home while walking my dog, I pass them while calling out, 'Welcome home!', 'Let's walk on the side!', and 'Watch out for cars!'.
Even so, some of the mischievous kids who are interested in the dog will run around and walk backwards without caring about being in the middle of the road (laughs).
Thinking that scolding them with a sudden 'Hey!' would be too harsh, I gently warn them by saying, 'A car is coming!' or 'Stop at the intersection!'

✓ How can we protect children?

First, each of us as adults must thoroughly embody the mindset and behavior that serves as a model.
Furthermore, it is important to take every opportunity to tell, explain, and ensure children understand what they need to know.
To do this, calling out to them while doing chores like washing dishes is not enough, and lecturing them while smoking or drinking alcohol is inappropriate. Adults must face them with a resolute attitude, make eye contact, and explain why they want them to be careful about traffic safety.

✅ 6 things I want to convey to children (Adult responsibility)

Things we must convey to children. These are clearly the responsibilities of adults.

1. Traffic rules are regulations to protect lives.

Traffic rules are the regulations of society. One must know the Road Traffic Act and learn the basics thoroughly.

2. Life does not have a 'do-over'.

They must know that their own life does not have extra lives or do-overs (like in a game), and that it is a single, precious thing. It is never something trivial. It is not something that belongs only to them. I want them to be able to realize that their life is a unique and important individuality, the only one on this planet.

3. Be aware of your own safety and the safety of others.

Protecting oneself is, of course, the top priority, but one must also become able to consider the inconvenience and danger caused to those around them. It is a great achievement if they can look out for their friends.

4. Accidents are 'man-made disasters' that can be prevented.

Traffic accidents are man-made disasters that can be prevented beforehand depending on one's mindset. This applies not only to drivers operating cars but also to pedestrians, cyclists, and people using wheelchairs or canes on the road—it is common to everyone.

5. Have the courage to say 'No' to dangerous behavior.

They must have the courage to confidently say 'No' to friends (both seniors and juniors). The courage to say 'No' to others is born from absolute conviction. We adults need to nurture that correctly.

6. Know how to respond in an emergency.

They must know how to deal with (and make every possible effort) if they encounter or discover an accident. Once you step outside, regardless of age or gender, you are in a traffic society where danger is right next to you. It is necessary to anticipate 'what if' scenarios.

It is cruel to expect children to learn these things on their own; adults must take responsibility and convey them.
Once will not be enough. I want you to convey them as a top priority, repeating them until you are blue in the face, whenever the opportunity arises—a little bit each time you see them at daily meals, and a little bit each time you see them off every morning.

It is too late after an emergency occurs.
I want you to convey these things steadily, without rushing or neglecting (without sparing time), until they can anticipate what we adults are trying to say, until they can confidently say, 'I'm okay now! I value my own life and I will protect my friends' lives too!', and until, from our perspective as guardians, a sense of security outweighs our anxiety.

✅ Awareness is nurtured through the bond (shared time) between adults and children.

For example, it is also important for adults and children to share time and awareness together, such as by learning traffic rules in a fun way through familiar 'parody songs.' This can be considered one effective method for raising awareness.

The following article is based on the familiar song 'Inu no Omawari-san' (The Dog Policeman), with various traffic safety scenes turned into a 'parody song.' Wouldn't creating and singing such 'parody songs' together help deepen the trust and bonds between adults and children?

Additionally, as a way to study Japanese (language) as well, creating slogans (in the 5-7-5 senryu format) using traffic safety as a theme can be an interesting initiative.
Thinking about it together from a first-person perspective centered on oneself, or imagining it from a second-person perspective as if telling a friend—by picturing various traffic situations and scenes from different viewpoints and writing down pledges or words of caution, I believe these will become phrases that strongly impact awareness and will not be forgotten.

Below are examples of senryu (5-7-5).

✅ Wonderful actions by children whose awareness has sprouted

When awareness sprouts in children, their behavior changes.
Although there are unfortunately very few real-life examples, there were two occasions in the past where I saw children display such wonderful behavior that I wanted to get out of the car and praise them.
I was moved from the bottom of my heart, feeling that the guidance from their parents and schools had truly reached them.

❶ Encountering a refreshing scene of a child taking off their hat to bow

After crossing a crosswalk, a child turned around to a driver who had stopped before the crosswalk, took off their hat, and bowed. This is not something easily done at an age when children are typically shy and self-conscious.
While it is recommended to confirm safety through eye contact with drivers (looking at the other person's face or eyes), it was a moment where I felt this was the pinnacle of safety awareness and behavior, far exceeding that.

❷ An older child firmly stopping a younger child's movement

I witnessed a scene where an older girl reached out to stop a younger girl who was about to cross a crosswalk without a traffic light. It was a very reliable and heartwarming sight. It was a moment where I was convinced and impressed that this is far more effective at influencing awareness than an adult telling a small girl what to do.

✅ The 'Devil's June'

Accident statistics show that June is the month with the highest number of accidents involving elementary school students, but this is not limited to June; a strong awareness of traffic safety is essentially needed every month and every day. There is no time limit on precious lives.

However, it is necessary to know that as a trend in accident occurrence, they tend to be frequent from April to June (especially June), and on Wednesdays, when people tend to let their guard down on a weekly basis.
In terms of time, 16:00 to 18:00 is the time when children are coming home from school, and it can also be considered the time when children who have returned home once go out to play. It can also be considered that the days are longer, overlapping with the rush hour of commuters returning home, and that poor visibility during rainy weather can be a cause.

There are articles and news reports that provide reasons for the 'Devil's June,' so I recommend you read them.

※ Below, from the National Police Agency | Status of Traffic Accidents Involving Children (during 2024)

✅Conclusion

It is natural for children to be immature and know nothing. It will take time for them to learn to think for themselves.
We adults must firmly convey the right things, at the right time, and in the right way. That is where the responsibility of adults lies.
I believe that children will not overlook the efforts and actions of such good adults. Messages that reach their hearts will surely sprout strongly and reliably as important awareness in children.

To repeat, it is one precious life. It is too late after it is lost. I earnestly hope that you will take action from what you can do right now, so as not to regret it later and leave a lifelong stain.

I feel that the key to deepening bonds lies not in adults and children being separate, but in spending time together, sharing awareness of issues, and understanding each other.
Finally, I would like to offer a message of support in the form of a tanka poem (5-7-5-7-7).

✅For your reference

I have included articles from the “Watching Over Children” series that I have advocated for in the past. I hope that by reading this article and others in the series, it will reach your heart deeply as an important realization (message) that is easy to overlook.

This is the very end. Although it is a bit late, congratulations on your child's enrollment in elementary school. I have written down things that I want both parents and children to know.
I would be happy if you could take the time to read it.

Thank you for reading to the end.
I hope this serves as a realization to protect the one and only precious lives of children, and as a motivation for the courage to take action.

Postscript Update (2025/5/19)

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