Study: most children don't understand how bike lane and road sign rules work
A road safety test by insurer BALTA shows children lack knowledge of traffic rules, even though they handle other safety topics well. Experts urge parents and teachers to regularly revisit the rules with kids.
Children in Latvia are generally well-prepared to handle risky situations near water, online, and when giving first aid, but traffic rules remain a weak spot. That's according to results from a safety test run over the past three years by insurance company BALTA.
Signs and rules prove difficult
The test found that 83% of children could not correctly identify road signs that prohibit continuing to cycle. More than half — 55% — did not know what to do at a "Pedestrian path" sign, while 60% could not recognize the sign allowing an e-scooter to continue moving. Additionally, one in ten children mistakenly believes pedestrians may cross the road on a yellow traffic light if no vehicle is approaching, if they're in a hurry, or if the road isn't wide.
Over the three years, close to 2,000 children up to age 12 have completed various safety questions together with parents or teachers as part of BALTA's "Crazy Safe Summer" initiative.
Where children performed better
About 70% of children answered questions about choosing an appropriate cycling speed correctly, while just over half answered correctly on e-scooter usage rules and right-of-way on bike paths. Children did best — over 80% correct — on questions solvable through logical reasoning, such as what to do after an e-scooter accident, how to safely use inline skates, how to protect a bicycle from theft, and when to wear a bike helmet.
Experts' advice
Oskars Irbītis, a road safety expert at the Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD), notes that traffic rules cannot be learned intuitively — they must be taught and regularly repeated, a task shared by teachers and parents alike. He also points out that children's attention is easily diverted by their surroundings, so drivers who spot a child near the road should always assume a higher risk of the child unexpectedly stepping onto the roadway.
The test was developed in cooperation with CSDD, the State Police, the Emergency Medical Service, the "Peldēt droši" association, and "AJ Power Recycling," and also includes questions on safety near water, at home, online, and on first aid.
