A pedestrian accident involving a teenage girl occurred in Snohomish County recently. The car hit her as she was heading towards her mother’s parked car. The 15-year-old is in intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The school, Mariner High School in Everett, sits along a busy road and there is no crosswalk on the roadway where the accident occurred. Neighbors from a nearby apartment complex commented that many students behave like typical teenagers and are often unaware of how heavy the traffic is.
Car vs Kids – Pedestrian Accidents
We think of schools as “safe” places. But traveling to and from is not without risk. As parents and caregivers, we may need to hold a special “safety” class with our kids to remind them to be on the lookout for hazardous situations in school and the roads and zones around school.
In 2015, one in every five children under the age of 15 who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians and not passengers in a car. Higher vehicle speeds not only increased the likelihood of a pedestrian being struck by a car, but the severity of the injuries. Most pedestrian deaths occurred in urban areas, non-intersection locations, and at night. https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/pedestrian_safety/index.html
Increase Awareness in School Zones
Regardless of whether city streets have signing or crosswalks for pedestrians, drivers should always be extra cautious in areas where schools are located. The chances of pedestrians near the roadway is even higher before and after school hours. Being a pedestrian and walking around traffic takes the same critical thinking skills as riding a bike or driving a car.
Parents and Caregivers as Teachers
Here are a few important safety tips to remind your family of for every time they walk out the door.
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Everyone Is a Pedestrian!
Whenever you are not in your vehicle, you are a pedestrian! We need to think like a pedestrian even when we are behind the wheel.
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Prevent Pedestrian Crashes: Parents and Caregivers of Elementary School Children
Elementary school children are very active and impulsive. Although they are learning and growing, school-age children 10 and younger still need guidance and supervision when near roadways. Older kids need to learn about distracted walking and keep their eyes moving and checking both directions before they cross.
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Five Tips to Keep Your Children Safe on Their Way To and From School
Strengthen your traffic safety knowledge: Teach and reinforce your children’s pedestrian safety habits. Look right. Look left. Make vehicles see you. Use these skills every day and encourage others to do the same!
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Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities
Want to improve the walkability of your neighborhood? Learn from the examples of other communities working to improve pedestrian safety. Research what other areas have done to improve safety conditions of their neighborhoods and schools. Advocate for school zone signing if it’s not already there.
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Walkability Checklist
- How walkable is your community? Take a walk with your child and find out for yourselves. Safety should be on everyone’s checklist.
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety
Safety for our kids should be a top priority in every community. You need to be safety-conscious. In addition, you should encourage your kids and their friends to be safety-conscious.
If you or loved one has been injured or hit in a pedestrian accident, call Fielding Law Group today for a free consultation. Don’t let a pedestrian accident WRECK you!
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