By now, growing children start to think of themselves as ‘young adults’ This doesn’t mean they are always ready for the challenges or responsibilities. Or that it is always safe to treat them as such.

But you tend to get a better response if you show that you respect they are no longer ‘children’ and can think about things for themselves. As a parent, you need to base your advice on your personal knowledge of your child and what they are capable of.

Did you know that…

• At this age, young people are able to think more carefully about the consequences of their actions.
• But they may need help to make connections between things – like using mobiles while crossing roads and the likelihood of being hit by a car
• Young people want a chance to make up their own mind. They learn best when they can think about things for themselves and make informed choices.
• They can also hold strong views – and are often not afraid to share these with others. So talking about things in groups can be a real benefit to this age group.
• Young people may think safety advice no longer applies to them. Make sure they realise that everyone needs to practise safety in their daily lives.
• Traffic is the biggest single cause of accidental death for 12 to 16 year-olds. Six out of ten teenagers report that they have either been in an accident/near miss or know someone at school who has been.

Top safety tips for young people aged 11 to 14

- Quick links to:

Falls

House fires

Burns and scalds

Drowning

Skateboarding

Road safety

Falls

• Make sure young people know about the dangers of playing around on building sites or other high buildings.
• Encourage young people to think about safety when doing any kind of ‘stunt’.

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House fires

• Tips for preventing fires apply to all ages. For information go to fire safety [link to house fires internal page]

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Burns and scalds

• Make sure young people know how to make snacks and use kitchen equipment safely.
• Make sure young people know that water and electricity don’t mix – especially when there are trailing wires and plugs.
• Teach them to keep mains-powered electrical appliances out of the bathroom – even if they are plugged in outside. This includes hairdryers, hair straighteners and plugged-in radios.

For more information about burns and scalds [link to burns and scald internal page]

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Drowning

• Encourage young people to swim in safe places like public swimming pools – where there are trained lifeguards.
• Discourage them from swimming in rivers, canals and flooded gravel pits. Young people are most likely to drown because they over-estimate their abilities. And under-estimate the depth, strength or coldness of the water. Or because they didn’t see hidden dangers lurking under the surface.
• Teach young people not to dive into water less than 1.5m (5 feet) deep.
• At the beach, teach young people to swim between the two-coloured red and yellow flags – these show the area which is patrolled by the lifeguard.
• Airbeds and inflatable swimming toys can be dangerous in the sea because a strong current can quickly carry them – and the young person holding them – out of their depth.

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Skateboarding

• Encourage young people to wear helmets and knee and ankle pads when skateboarding.
• Make sure they know where it is safe and not safe to use skateboards. It is not safe for to use skateboards on roads and pavements.

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Road safety

Pedestrians:

• Remind young people about road safety issues – for example, not to cross roads while using mobiles or listening to i-pods.
• Help them understand the personal consequences of being injured in a car accident – for example, their face could be scarred or they could their place on the football team. You know your child best and what will have most meaning for them.
• Continue to set a good example when you cross the road, so they don’t learn bad habits from you.

Cycling:

• Encourage young people to wear cycle helmets and light and/or reflective clothing when cycling.

Passengers:

• The law says that young people under 135cm (about 4 ft 5in) in height who are under 12 years, must use a child restraint appropriate for their height and weight.
• Young people who are taller than 135cm or over 12 years must wear a seat belt.
• Make sure young people understand the importance of wearing a seat belt – it’s hard to force them to do something they don’t want to do.

For more information about road safety