Hold their hands.
That's the simple message the RACQ has for parents trying to keep their kids safe near the state's roads.
The peak motoring body says alarming new research shows more than three-quarters of parents didn't think holding their child's hand on a footpath was always necessary.
But that's putting kids at risk, RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie says.
"Sadly in Australia nearly half of children injured in pedestrian crashes were unaccompanied at the time," she said.
Many of these crashes occur when kids emerge from behind a parked car or run unexpectedly onto the road.
With this in mind, the organisation has joined with the body that conducted the research, the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland, to create a new campaign.
Launched in Mackay on Thursday, the "Hand in Hand: Let's Go Places" includes two campaign videos that highlight the importance of keeping children close.
It's specifically targeted at parents of children aged between three and nine, with research showing children in this age bracket have trouble judging distance and speed.
Parents should also walk on the side of the footpath closer to cars to keep their child safe, Ms Ritchie said.
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