Road Safety Patch Program®

Iron on! 2″ Embroidered Patch.

The Road Safety Patch Program® is designed to equip scouts with the essential skills to navigate roads, sidewalks, and crosswalks with confidence, care, and a sharp eye for potential hazards. From younger girls mastering basic pedestrian rules and traffic signs to older scouts practicing defensive driving awareness, passenger safety, and roadside emergency prep, this program builds a lifelong culture of safety on the move.

• Includes targeted, age-appropriate downloadable worksheets for both Younger and Older Girl Scouts.
• Perfect for your next troop meeting, a community safety walk, or preparing for an upcoming travel adventure!

Suggestions for Younger Girl Scouts to Earn The Road Safety Patch Program®

Earning this patch helps younger girls understand the rules of the road, learn how to be smart pedestrians, and know exactly how to stay visible and safe near traffic.

1. Watch this video about staying safe in the kitchen

This video is fun, highly engaging, and specifically designed for a camp or club setting. It perfectly addresses safe hand-washing habits, setting up a clean-up station, and basic kitchen navigation.

3. The “Stop, Look, and Listen” Rule

Encourage your girls to think about what could happen if they run into the street after a ball. Discuss the importance of staying a safe distance back from the curb while waiting to cross. Practice checking your surroundings and saying out loud: “Stop your feet, check the street, look all around before crossing town!”

4. Assembling a High-Visibility Safety Kit

Use kid-friendly gear to demonstrate proper outdoor visibility. Discuss essential steps before walking near roads: wear bright colors, attach reflective clips or tape to backpacks, and learn how a bike helmet should fit snugly (the “2-2-2” rule: 2 fingers above eyebrows, straps forming a ‘V’ under ears, 2 fingers fit under the chin strap).

5. Learn and Practice How to Handle Traffic Situations

The Driveway Drill: Practice walking past driveways safely. Roleplay pausing and checking for reversing cars by looking for backup lights or listening for running engines.

The “Stop and Ask” Rule for Parking Lots: Practice walking in pairs holding hands or staying right next to an adult. Emphasize that parking lots require extra focus because drivers have blind spots.

Roleplay Scenarios: In pairs or a troop setting, safely roleplay real-world scenarios. Examples: You drop your favorite toy in the middle of a crosswalk; the pedestrian walk signal starts flashing red while you are halfway across; a stranger pulls up in a car to ask you for directions.

Suggestions for Older Girl Scouts to Earn The Road Safety Patch Program®

For older scouts, road safety transitions into mastering passenger responsibilities, understanding driver distractions, navigating public transportation, and handling unexpected roadside emergencies.

1. Watch this video about teen drivers,

These segments provide powerful visual breakdowns of how quickly a vehicle travels at high speeds and how passengers can either help or dangerously distract a driver. They perfectly highlight the three-second rule and building a safety-first mindset.

3. The Science of Reaction Time & Braking Distance

The Three-Second Rule: Always maintain at least a three-second following distance behind the car ahead when riding or driving (increase this in bad weather).

The Safety Mentality: Older scouts are often tempted to rush, skip seatbelts on short trips, or look down at their phones to navigate. Your troop’s lives are always more important than arriving a few minutes early. Remember: When in motion, focus is your protection.

4. Master Emergency Roadside Safety & Suppression

The Rule: If a vehicle breaks down, the immediate area directly next to a busy highway is incredibly dangerous.

Activity: Learn how to handle a roadside breakdown safely. Practice locating a vehicle’s hazard light button, discuss how to safely pull over to the right shoulder, and learn where to place emergency flares or reflectors. Review how to safely exit the vehicle away from traffic if necessary.

5. Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Basics

The Rule: A poorly maintained vehicle is a safety hazard waiting to happen.

Activity: Under adult supervision, check a vehicle’s critical safety points. Learn how to check tire tread depth using the “penny test,” check tire pressure, verify that all headlights and brake lights function properly, and locate the car manual and emergency roadside kit.

6. Navigating Public and Shared Transportation Safely

The Rule: Using rideshares, buses, or trains requires specific situational awareness.

Activity: Create a safety checklist for using rideshares (like Uber or Lyft). Practice the “S.A.M.E.” method: Stop and check your surroundings, Ask the driver “Who are you picking up?”, Match the license plate and car model, and Evaluate your route on your own map during the ride.

7. Create a Route and Safety Plan for a Troop Trip

The Rule: Long trips introduce unique hazards like driver fatigue, unfamiliar highway interchanges, and shifting weather.

Activity: Before your next distant campout or troop outing, map out a formal travel safety plan. Detail designated rest stops every two hours to prevent fatigue, list emergency contact numbers, assign “co-pilots” to handle navigation and music, and verify that every vehicle has a complete first-aid kit.