Posted on Friday, June 10th, 2016 at 1:44 am
School is out and the kids are ready for some summer fun; however, parents need to be aware of one potential danger this summer — drivers. Pedestrians are at risk for injuries throughout the year because of careless or distracted drivers; however, the summer months are especially dangerous for children. Many children play outside during the summer months increasing their risk for injury in pedestrian accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 236 children under the age of 14 were killed in pedestrian accidents during 2013 and 10,000 were injured. California had the most pedestrian fatalities in 2013 leading the nation with 713 deaths from traffic crashes. Children made up a large number of those pedestrian fatalities with one in every five children under the age of 14 being killed in traffic crashes as pedestrians that year. California continued to lead the nation in pedestrian deaths from traffic crashes for 2014 (697 deaths).
What Can Parents Do To Protect Children This Summer From
Pedestrian Accidents?
School is out but your children can benefit from a few more lessons in pedestrian safety before summer is in full swing. The NHTSA offers child pedestrian safety curriculum on its website. The complete lessons and materials are free to download. You can even access a free teacher’s guide. The lesson plans are designed to complete in 20 to 25 minutes are divided into lessons for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. This is a great way for parents to teach their children about pedestrian safety and reduce the risk of a serious injury this summer.
Other pedestrian safety tips for parents include:
- If you know your child will be walking at dawn or dusk, dress your child in brightly colored clothing. Avoid colors such as dark blues, black, green, and grey. Brighter clothing makes your child more visible to drivers.
- Practice the “Stop, Look, Listen” rule with your children whenever you are walking with you child. Children are never too young to learn this rule. By practicing this rule whenever possible, helps your child develop good habits from a very young age.
- Teach your child to always use crosswalks. Drivers are more likely to slow down as they approach a crosswalk and to be more aware that pedestrians may be present.
- Teach children to never run into a road without first checking for traffic. Practice various scenarios that may tempt your child to run into the road without looking such as chasing a ball, going after a pet, or trying to catch up with a friend.
For more information about child safety, visit Safe Kids Worldwide. They have a variety of tips, information, and resources for parents to make this a fun and safe summer.
Do You Need a Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Attorney?
If your child has been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact our Sacramento pedestrian lawyers as soon as possible. We can help you recover the compensation your child deserves from the at-fault driver.
Contact the Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or chat with a representative on our website to schedule your free legal consultation.
