How to keep your children safe during extreme cold

AccuWeather

Extreme cold combined with snow and ice present new dangers for your children, especially if they walk to school. Here's how you can help keep them safe.

Transcript

00:00There's no doubt it is cold across the northeast this week. Some locations

00:04seeing temperatures in the single digits. The last few days we've been

00:07honing in on basic safety practices in these conditions. But what about

00:11expanding that conversation and talking about the Children's safety too? It's

00:15just something that you have to have a conversation with your Children before

00:17they leave the house in the morning, making sure always obviously start off,

00:20hopefully have a have a good breakfast, make sure they're dressed appropriately

00:23to avoid them with potential risk of the cold and the severe cold that we're

00:27dealing with right now. Winter mornings can be tough for kids heading

00:30out to school and extreme cold adds another layer of danger to protect

00:34Children. Officials recommend dressing in warm, layered clothing, make sure

00:38they have a coat, hat, gloves and insulated boots, all essential for

00:43staying safe in freezing temperatures. And we just encourage everyone just

00:46please be smart, be safe. Um, and just, you know, plan ahead, leave a little

00:50early if you have to for travel and just be careful for those walking to

00:55school. The risks are compounded by icy sidewalks and roads. Slippery

00:59surfaces can lead to falls while dark early mornings make Children less

01:03visible to drivers. That's why reflective gear such as brightly

01:07colored backpacks or jackets can make a big difference. School resource

01:11officers also urged drivers to slow down and be extra alert in school

01:15zones. Drive like they're your kids walking to school as well. Um, you know,

01:19I know the speed limit here is 25 in the school area. Just if you have to go

01:23to the speed limit because of the road conditions and the kids crossing and

01:26that's what you have to do. Parents should encourage Children to avoid

01:29shortcuts through poorly maintained areas and to stay in groups for added

01:33safety. Now is a great time for families to have those safety

01:37conversations, especially about the importance of dressing for the weather

01:41and being extra careful around icy roads and for drivers. Patience is key

01:47for Accuweather. I'm Allie Reed.

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