As children get older they naturally seek more independence and, at some point, they will want to travel to school without you. But how do you know when this is safe?

The answer will depend on your judgment of how well they manage the unpredictability of an ever-changing traffic environment.

Watching their behaviour and talking with your child about potential dangers will help you make up your mind.

Transport for NSW recommends you:

• always hold the hand of children under 8 years of age when in the traffic environment
• actively supervise children between 8-10 years of age when in the traffic environment
• ride with your children up to 10 years of age
• ride on the footpath with your child (you can do this up till they’re 16 years of age).

Points to discuss before you allow your child to walk, ride or take public transport by themselves.

• Explain that road safety is a shared responsibility and they’re expected to follow the road rules for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
• Talk with them about their personal responsibility for making safe decisions.
• Plan the route together.
• Travel the route together, discuss potential dangers and solutions and role model safe road user behaviours such as:
  • putting your mobile phone and electronic devices in your bag
  • waiting at least one step back from the edge of the road before crossing
  • stopping, looking, listening, thinking every time you cross the road together
  • making eye contact with drivers so you know the driver has seen you, before stepping out onto a road.
• When practising, let your child decide when to cross the road so you can see how well they can cope with various traffic environment situations.
• Consider responsible friends they can travel with.
• Discuss safe alternatives for getting to and from school if something changes, e.g. missing the school bus, public transport delays, flat bike tyre, footpaths blocked.

Until you feel comfortable letting your child travel on their own continue to travel with them.

NSW road rules states:

Children aged under 4 years:

• must not sit in the front seat of a vehicle that has 2 or more rows of seats
• can sit in the front seat of a vehicle with only one row of seats, but must use an approved child car seat suitable for their age and size.
• Children aged between 4 and 7 years must not sit in the front seat of a vehicle that has two or more rows of seats, unless the available seats in the back row are occupied by other children aged under 7 years. They must use an approved child car seat suitable for their age and size.

Refer to Child car seats | NSW Government

It is recommended the safest place for your child to sit in a car, is in the back seat until at least 12 years old and at least 145cm so their legs comfortably bend over the seat.

More information is available FAQs | Child Car Seats - Make the safest choice

Height is the most important factor for deciding when a child no longer needs to use a booster seat. As cars are designed for average sized adults, children need to be a minimum of 145cm before they can safely move out of a booster.

The law says:

Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward-facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat.

Children should use a booster seat until they are big enough to be well protected by a lap-sash seatbelt alone.

They are often moved into an adult seat belt way too early. Like babies and toddlers, older children are also at risk of serious injury in the event of a crash. Adult seat belts are designed for a minimum height of 145cm.

But height isn’t everything, how does your child sit in the seat?

Use the Five-Step Test to guide your decision.

Can they?

1. Sit with their back against the seat back.

2. Bend their knees comfortably over the front of the seat cushion.

3. Sit with the sash belt across their mid-shoulder.

4. Sit with the lap belt across the top of their thighs.

5. Remain in this position for the whole trip.

For more information on child car seats, visit Child Car Seats.

Councils use 'No Parking' areas around schools that have signs marked as 'Drop-off and Pick-up', 'Kiss and Ride' or 'Kiss and Drop zones'.

These zones give parents and carers an area on the school side of the road to drop off and collect their children by car.

The Drop-off and Pick-up initiative allows you to drop off or pick up your child legally within the zone. You have a 2-minute timeframe at busy times at the beginning and end of the school day to do so.

Contact the front office for more information about how they operate in your school or read the School's website - Location and Transport tab.

For any concerns about the safety of students in the school traffic environment, it is important to inform the principal.

If it is to report issues with footpaths or signage you can use the Snap send solve app to inform your local council.

Schools may have this information on their School website – in the Location and Transport tab, or contact the school for further details.

Transport for NSW provides information transportnsw.info/routes/bus or your local bus company.

Contact your school for this information. More information is available from Transport for NSW.

There is no specific rule for when your child can start riding to school alone. It depends more on their ability to ride confidently, including balancing, pedalling, and steering with ease. They should also be able to assess speed, distance, and the direction of sounds. Additionally, the distance to school and the traffic conditions are important factors to consider.

Transport for NSW recommends:

Children between 10 and 12 should ride away from busy roads.

Children under 16 and adult riders accompanying and supervising them may ride on the footpath, unless there are signs prohibiting cycling.

E-bikes

Yes, students can ride a privately owned e-bike to and from school if it meets Transport for NSW’s requirements and the school supports the storage of e-bikes. Contact your school for more information.

Transport for NSW recommendations:

• Children under 8 years old: should always be supervised and avoid busy roads while riding.
• Children under 10 years old: should be closely supervised while riding.
• Always wear a helmet when riding, it is the law.

E-scooters

No.

In NSW, it is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter on roads or road-related areas, including footpaths, shared paths, cycle ways and cycle paths. E-scooters | Transport for NSW

Privately owned e-scooters can only be ridden on private property.

Hired shared scheme e-scooters are only able to be used on roads and road-related areas in the designated e-scooter trial areas. Find out further advice from Transport for NSW and conditions for e-scooter trial areas.