Most of us learn as children how to properly cross the street, but despite repeatedly teaching a young person safety protocol they are still more susceptible to being a victim of a traffic accident. Too often a young person misjudges the speed of vehicles and how much time is needed to cross.
Indeed, there are 60,000 pedestrians who are injured in traffic accidents throughout the United States annually, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In California, 699 people were killed and 12, 577 were injured in pedestrian traffic accidents in 2012, the latest statistics available from the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Report. Of those killed in California, 32 of the deaths and 2,075 of those injured were children ages 14 and younger, the CHP report says.
Pedestrian safety begins when a child begins to take their first steps, but it’s something that should be repeated as they grow up and begin to ride bikes, skateboards, scooters and other devices.
“We must constantly go over pedestrian safety with our children because our young people are so vulnerable and the consequences of not doing so are devastating,” said Attorney James Johnson.
Safety Tips for Young Pedestrians
There are some tips you can share with children and young people that are aimed at helping them be safer whenever they are on foot.
- Always use the sidewalk and never walk in the roadways
- Use a crosswalk at all times and wait for the walk signal
- Pick up the pace when walking across the street so you don’t run out of time
- Avoid distractions such as headphones and cell phones when walking across street
- Make sure drivers come to a full stop before stepping into the roadway even if you have permission to proceed into the crosswalk
- Never allow children to walk across the street alone and hold the hands of young ones
- Always look left, right and left again when crossing
- Make sure children know the meaning of common traffic signs
- Never jaywalk with your child because you are the example to them
- Avoid walking at night with children, but if you must do so wear light clothing and stay on lighted roadways.
These safety tips may reduce the chances of being involved in a car accident, but sometimes traffic accidents are unavoidable because there are many drivers who are distracted, driving under the influence, speeding or they may have a mechanical issue that leads to a crash.
California Pedestrian Accident Attorney
If you are involved in a pedestrian accident in California, there are steps that should be taken to help you through this difficult time. The pedestrian accident attorneys at Johnson Attorneys Group are here to help you file a claim against a negligent driver to compensate you for all your losses. Contact us for a free case evaluation at 800-235-6801. We are here to help.
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