Yep 8 years old is the age they say - children under that age don't have the ability to process how close something is to them, so whether they have time to safely cross. Also little children are easily disracted and should always hold a hand crossing a road incase they decide to take interest in something else! I see some parents allowing their 6 year olds go to school with older (maybe 8 and 9 yrs) siblings - often on bikes or scooters and it just terrifies me. I drive the pick up bus from a school and it's a hectic time of day with cars and kids everywhere and my heart is often in my throat when I see unsupervised kids.