An Exeter councillor has urged parents to keep an eye on their children following a reported spate of kids playing chicken with traffic.
Rob Hannaford, councillor for Exwick and St Thomas, said he had become increasingly aware of the game which sees kids ran out in front of traffic, forcing them to slam on their brakes.
His comments come after one woman, Paula Northway, said that two children had forced her into emergency stops on at least four separate occasions.
"It has happened on several occasions," she told Devon Live. "These two young girls aged around eight and 10 girls hide behind cars then they run out from one side to the other.
"It has happened at least four times to me now.
"Now that I know it is a possibility I only drive very slowly, but this lady in front of me had to slam on her brakes when it happened the other day. Even if someone does not hit them, it could still cause an accident.
"There have been occasions when one has hidden on one side and another has hidden on the other and they both run and cross in the middle.
"They also had a very young boy doing it with them the other day. It is very dangerous.
"I have come pretty close to hitting them, but what can you do? If you confront them you are in the wrong, if you take their picture you are in the wrong.
"All I could think of was putting this warning out on Facebook so hopefully someone who knows them can speak to them.
"I don't drive quickly but one day they will not be so lucky."
It was a thought echoed by cllr Hannaford, who said the impact of the game going wrong could be devastating.
"I would urge locals to challenge it and report it to the police on 101 but parents must speak to kids if they are doing it because, from time to time, there are collisions and accidents and I would hate to see a serious head injury which is potentially life-changing," he said.
"I am aware of the problems from local social media conversations. We also have a similar problem with the Bowhay Lane shops at the Merrivale Road junction.
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"I believe this year this anti-social behaviour is in fashion as kids on scooters and bikes have done the same on Cowick Street. It is very dangerous.
"It is also a particular problem at Shaftesbury Road where it comes out onto Old Vicarage Road which is a busy rat-run often used by lorries and vans at high speed, so it is very dangerous for local children to play chicken there.
"It is something people are concerned about but it seems to be spread out, not just in the Shaftesbury Road area."
