The Child, the Junction, and the Blind Spot
You are driving a light vehicle in a residential area at 40 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. It is late afternoon; the sun is low and throwing long shadows. You approach a T-junction where a parked van on your left blocks the view of the side road. A ball rolls out from behind the van into your lane. A child's head and shoulders appear at the van's rear corner, moving toward the road. A car behind you is close. Your brakes are in good condition.
1. What should you do, and what should you expect?
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Brake firmly and immediately - the ball is the cue, and the child is already following it. Do not swerve into the oncoming lane or the kerb; a controlled straight-line stop is safer than an evasive swerve with a close follower behind. Expect the child to keep moving into the road, and expect that they may freeze or change direction unpredictably. Cover the brake and be ready to stop fully.
2. What should you do about the close following car during and after the stop?
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You cannot let the follower stop you from braking - a child's life outranks the follower's bumper. Brake firmly but progressively so your brake lights give as much warning as possible. After stopping, keep your foot on the brake to hold the lights on, and check your mirror before moving off again. If the follower rear-ends you, that is their failure to maintain a gap; your duty is to avoid the child.
3. What should you do once the child is safely back on the pavement?
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Do not simply drive on. Move off only slowly, checking both directions and the van's shadow area again, because a second child may follow the first. If it is safe, stop and speak calmly to the child or alert an adult. Then reduce your speed for the rest of the residential stretch - a ball at a junction is a signal that children are playing nearby, and the low sun and parked van will keep hiding them.