September: we are flying back in! Especially if you have children, this month feels like a fresh start. A period full of new adventures ... and often new challenges. Is your teenager safe on the road? And online? Some tips!
Going to school safely alone
In an earlier article, we already collected some tips for getting to school safely. Are your children entering traffic alone for the first time? Then these facts will help them too:
It is sometimes difficult to judge the speed of other road users. A car does not always keep to the permitted speed in a school environment and a speedpedelec looks like a bicycle from afar, but comes at you much faster.
Trucks and buses have a blind spot: if you walk or cycle right next to them, the driver cannot always see you. So stay completely behind a bus or truck, especially when there is a chance it will turn.
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of fatal road accidents. And very often this involves a smartphone. Among motorists as well as cyclists and pedestrians.
Quickly sending a message or putting on a song can have disastrous consequences. In a recent awareness campaign for VRT and the Flemish government, singer Pommelien Thijs reinforces that message with the song 'The best is yet to come' and a poignant music video.
Smartphones distract us in several ways. We do not keep our eyes on the road and our hands on the steering wheel. Our concentration is not on what is happening in traffic and traffic noises also penetrate us less. That is why - both in the car and on a bicycle - you are only allowed to use your phone if it is in a fixed holder. The traffic rules are very clear about this, as are the hefty fines hanging over your head.
Your child safe online
A new school year often also means a new class group, new hobbies, new friends and ... new online activities. And while your children are curiously taking their first steps on the internet and social media, as a parent you sometimes ask yourself questions. Won't my child come into contact with wrong people? What if my daughter or son gets bullied online? Or sees things that they are far too young for?
Rightful concerns all. But also look at these new opportunities for your children as something positive: a new world is opening up for them!
These tips will help your child stand strong online:
Just like 'in real life', it is better not to talk to strangers online and best not to share personal details or photos with people you do not know. Make your child aware that people can pretend to be someone else online and point out the possible consequences.
Emphasise the importance of strong passwords, so that your children don't put their data (or yours) up for grabs.
Ask your child regularly about what they read and see online and how they feel about it. By showing interest, you give your child an opening to discuss the negative aspects of the digital world with you. For example, you will be more likely to notice if your child encounters cyberbullying and its consequences. These can be just as serious as offline bullying. Moreover, bullying online often continues after school hours or hobbies.
Discuss with your children which devices, apps and websites are age-appropriate and make good agreements about them. An app that limits their smartphone or tablet use (e.g. Family Link on Android or Screen Time on iOs) is useful for this. This way, you can set some restrictions in consultation and you don't have to actively 'watch' the children. There are also geolocation apps that allow you to remotely track where your children are.
Does the start of the school year raise insurance questions for you? Want to check whether your children are adequately insured in traffic? Do you need to consider cyber insurance to protect your family from online scammers? Feel free to send us a message, we will be happy to advise you.