AASHTO Journal - NMDOT Builds ‘Traffic Safety Garden’ for Kids

The New Mexico Department of Transportation recently constructed a “Traffic Safety Garden” at its Santa Fe campus as a way to convey “positive traffic safety behaviors” to young children.

[Above photo NMDOT]

The agency explained that a “traffic safety garden” is a miniature transportation system that uses play as an educational tool whereby children can learn and practice traffic behaviors that will protect them, such as using crosswalks, looking both ways for oncoming traffic, recognizing stop and yield signs, and facing traffic while walking.

The NMDOT noted that it included intersections with and without marked crosswalks, railroad crossings, roads without sidewalks, and roundabouts in this particular traffic garden.

“Ingraining positive traffic safety habits in children is an important part of the behavior change New Mexico needs. Children will become future drivers, and more immediately they’ll encourage their parents to adopt these behaviors behind the wheel,” explained Ricky Serna, NMDOT secretary, in a statement. “This is a great opportunity for our community to focus on early development of behaviors, which protect our vulnerable pedestrians.”

Many state departments of transportation tailor a variety of traffic safety outreach efforts specifically to children.

For example, in June, the Texas Department of Transportation’s El Paso District put together a free bicycle safety event in partnership with the Alpine Police Department – turning an empty college campus parking lot into a bike obstacle course at Sul Ross State University.

TxDOT staffers showed up before sunrise to unload and work in teams to transform the parking lot. The marked route included various tasks, interactive lessons, road signs, and a working railroad crossing.

Before riding through the course – with Alpine police officers leading the way – participants took time for helmet and bike checks. Local riding experts volunteered their time and expertise to make minor repairs and adjustments for bikes belonging to young riders and their parents.

Additionally, in November 2023, the railroad safety education and outreach unit of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s rail division – known as BeRailSafe – partnered with the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum and the Greensboro Police Department to teach kids about railroad track safety.

The museum hosted BeRailSafe staff during a planned field trip for readings of NCDOT’s “Tracks Are for Trains” book to educate Guilford County school children and parents about the dangers of trespassing on railroad tracks. Additionally, police officers displayed equipment they use to monitor and enforce railroad track trespassing activity.