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Every one is a pedestrian. Each trip we take starts out
with walking and ends with walking. Whether you take a trip to the store,
walking the dog or a casual evening stroll you are a pedestrian and encounter
cars each trip.
In 1996, more than 5,412 pedestrians were killed in
traffic-related incidents in the United States. 82,000 pedestrians are injured
and 50,000 of those are children. The prime victims of pedestrian crashes are
children between the ages of 1-19. Many of the vehicle-pedestrian crashes are
caused from unsafe crossing behaviors of children and adults.
Elementary age children are at greatest risk because of
their limited developmental skills. Children of this age group:
- Have a field of vision 1/3 narrower than an adults.
- Are unable to determine the direction of sounds.
- Cannot accurately judge the speed of distance of moving vehicles.
- Lack the ability to understand how much time and distance is needed for a vehicle to stop.
- Are easily distracted, and tend to focus on one thing at a time like a ball or a friend.
- Are easily missed by cars because of their size.
These are some of the reasons children do not always make
the best decisions when crossing the street. Some children overestimate their
own abilities. Just what can be done to help protect your child against injury
or death when crossing the street?
Set boundaries for your children. Show them where they
can play safely and the limits beyond which they can’t go. Be prepared to
enforce your rules.
As your children grow older teach them the basic rules
for crossing the street. One of the best ways to do this is to take a walk with
them demonstrating and explaining the correct way to cross as you go along.
Being a good role model every time you cross the street with them, might be the
most important thing you do in helping your children become careful pedestrians.
Children will imitate what they see
adults and teenagers do. If you walk out between parked cars, jaywalk or cross
against the light, they will likely do the same.
Children need to be taught to STOP at the edge of the
street and look Left-Right and Left again for vehicles before crossing.
Ask children what they see to determine that they know what
they are looking for and not just turning their heads when they cross the
street.
Intersections are more complex. Children need to look over
their shoulder for vehicles that may be turning as they are looking left-right
and left. Remember that even if there is a stop sign or a signal light drivers
do not always obey the rules. Children should be taught to wait until the
vehicle stops before venturing out into the street. When the light turns green,
they should look for turning vehicles before stepping out into the street or
crosswalk. Just because they can see a driver doesn’t mean the driver has
noticed them.
Here are some additional safety tips for pedestrians of all ages:
No matter what age you are it is important to stop at the
curb and look left-right and left again before stepping out into the street even
when the light is green and the walk signal is on. Especially be alert for
turning vehicles. Drivers of turning vehicles are often preoccupied looking for
that opening in traffic they are not paying attention to pedestrians.
When waling in parking lots or past driveways, be sure and
look for backup lights. Most motor-vehicle crashes occur in this manner when
both the pedestrian and driver are in a hurry or not paying attention. Look for
drivers in vehicles and listen for engine noise. If the driver doesn’t see you
and indicate for you to proceed, then just wait for them to get out of the way.
If no sidewalk is present and it is necessary to walk in
the roadway, walk to the left side of the road, facing traffic.
When walking after dark, wear brightly colored clothing. It
is often better to wear reflective materials. Drivers can see pedestrians up to
500 feet away when a person is wearing reflective materials, which allows for
adequate time to stop a vehicle.
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