- Road Safety: First Journeys
Which side of the car should a child get out on?
A child should get out on the sidewalk side: the door next to the curb, away from passing cars and bikes. In Israel and the US that is usually the right-hand door, but always check where the sidewalk is. Stay buckled until the car has stopped and a grown-up says it is safe, then hold their hand in the parking lot.
The topic explained
Which door is the safe door?
The safe door is the one next to the sidewalk or the curb. When you get out that way, your feet land on the sidewalk, where people walk. The door on the other side opens onto the road, where cars, bikes and scooters pass very close, and their riders may not see a door opening.
In Israel and the US cars drive on the right, so a car parked at the side of the street usually has the sidewalk on its right. But on a one-way street a car can park on the left side too. So the rule to remember is not "the right door". It is "the sidewalk door". Look out of the window, find the sidewalk, and use the door on that side.
What if you are sitting on the road side?
Do not open your door. Stay buckled until the car has stopped and your grown-up says you can get out. Then either slide across the back seat and get out through the sidewalk door, or wait in your seat while your grown-up comes around and helps you out.
For grown-ups: many cars have a child lock on each back door, a small switch on the door's edge that stops it opening from inside. Turning it on for the door on the road side means it cannot be opened by mistake.
Why do you stay buckled for the whole ride?
A booster seat lifts you up so the seat belt sits across your shoulder and low on your hips, not across your neck or tummy. The belt only protects you while it is fastened. Keep it on from the moment the car starts until it has stopped and a grown-up says, "You can unbuckle now." The last minute counts too: while a car is looking for a parking space it can still brake suddenly.
How do you walk in a parking lot?
A parking lot is a road, even when nothing is moving. Any parked car can start and back out, and a driver backing up can see very little behind the car, especially a child. Hold your grown-up's hand, or keep one hand on your car while your grown-up gets the bags out. If white lights come on at the back of a car, it is about to back up: stop and wait with your grown-up until it has gone. Never run ahead or play between parked cars.
Getting out of the car safely: 8 questions
For 1st graders. A grown-up can read each question aloud. Answer out loud, then check the answer together.
Free, no sign-up. The answer key prints on the second page. Regenerating a new worksheet on the same topic needs a free account.
The car is parked with the sidewalk on its right. Which door do you get out of?
Mom is still driving around the parking lot looking for a space. Can you unbuckle your seat belt now?
Noa is sitting on the side of the car next to the road. The car has stopped. What should she do?
Why is it dangerous to open the door on the road side?
You are in a parking lot and white lights come on at the back of a parked car. What does that mean, and what do you do?
Your dad is taking bags out of the trunk. Where is your hand while you wait?
You see your friend at the school gate on the other side of the parking lot. What do you do?
Dan says, "I always get out of the right door, so I'm always safe." Is he right?
Common questions
Does a 6-year-old still need a booster seat?
Most children of 6 and 7 still need a booster seat or car seat, because an adult seat belt does not fit them properly until they are taller. The exact rules depend on where you live, so check your local rules and the label on the seat.
Can a 1st grader sit in the front seat?
Safety advice in both Israel and the US is for children of this age to ride in the back seat, which also makes the sidewalk door easy to reach. The exact age for moving to the front differs, so check your local rules and your car's manual.
What if the door on the sidewalk side is blocked?
The child stays in their seat with hands off the door handle. The grown-up gets out, checks that no cars, bikes or scooters are coming, opens the door and helps the child out, and then they go straight to the sidewalk together.
How can I help my child remember the routine?
Say the same three short checks on every ride: "Has the car stopped? Did a grown-up say go? Which door is the sidewalk door?" Before you park, ask your child to tell you which side the sidewalk will be on. Soon they will say it before you ask.
What comes after this lesson?
It is the last lesson in First Journeys, after the curb, the stop-look-listen routine, crosswalks, pedestrian lights and being seen in the dark. Together they cover the walk to school and the trip by car, the two journeys most 1st graders make every day.
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