International Walk to School Day Safety Guidelines

Pedestrian injury is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14. There are approximately 40 serious pedestrian injuries and 10 pedestrian deaths each week due to Florida auto accidents. Pedestrian injuries are not as common as motor vehicle occupant injuries, but the disproportionate number of injuries sustained by child pedestrians is serious.

Children are particular vulnerable to a pedestrian related Florida car wreck due to the fact that many parents overestimate their children’s pedestrian skills. Children are frequently exposed to traffic situations that exceed their developmental, cognitive, physical, behavioral, and sensory abilities. Young children do not have the ability to appropriately judge the speed and distance of approaching vehicles.

International Walk to School Day on October 6, 2010, presents a wonderful opportunity to teach your child about the rules and importance of pedestrian safety. If we all take the time to model appropriate behavior for our children, the amount of Florida car crashes involving pedestrians could decrease drastically.

Whenever you are walking with your children, take the opportunity to model appropriate pedestrian behavior.

• Always stop at the street corner to check for traffic before entering into the roadway.

• Always cross streets at a corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks whenever possible.

• A WALK signal does not ensure it is safe to cross the road; it only indicates that it is your turn to cross. Check for approaching traffic before proceeding.

• Always make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. Never assume they see you, even if you see them. Wait for the driver to acknowledge you before crossing. Thank them with a wave and a smile.

• Look over your shoulder to check for turning vehicles before crossing.

• Instruct children to look left, right, left before entering into the roadway. Continue scanning the street while crossing.

• If there are vehicles parked along the street that obstruct your view, move forward to the edge of the vehicle before crossing.

• Do not stop in the middle of the roadway or make sudden movements, such as turning back the other way, as vehicles may be moving through the crosswalk behind you.

If we all work together, we can make our towns and cities safer for pedestrians. If your child has been injured in a Florida pedestrian accident, contact a Palm Beach injury lawyer at Fetterman & Associates.