It is back to school season, and the law offices of Wiener & Lambka would like to take this time to encourage parents to take a couple of minutes to remind their children about the dangers of traffic as they are coming to and from school this year.
In 2015, one in five children under the age of 15 who lost their lives in traffic accidents were killed while on foot. It is estimated that as many as 178,000 children were injured in traffic crashes and accidents, a 6% increase from 2014.
Children distracted by increasingly prevalent mobile and electronic devices is rapidly becoming a critical concern. When the pedestrian habits of over 3500 Canadian children were observed, over 18% displayed behavior consistent with distracted walking. The most prevalent behavior observed was walking with earbuds on, coming in at over 66% of kids observed. Other behaviors included talking, texting, internet surfing, and playing video games.
Pair that with distracted drivers, the prevalence of whom is at an all-time high, and the result can be a catastrophe. If you’re ever in need of a pedestrian accident lawyer near or in Seattle, call Wiener & Lambka today and schedule a free consultation.
Pedestrian accidents are not uncommon, but the fact that you’re unprotected in an impact with a 3000+ pound heap of metal can lead to some long-lasting and serious injuries, especially if you have suffered an impact to the head, and especially if you’re a small child, because small children are still in development.
Even beyond the distraction of mobile and electronic devices, many of our nation’s school zones are simply not as safe as they could be. Only 4 out of 10 school zones observed by safekids.org were found to have speed limits of no more than 20 mph, and 30% of crosswalks were unmarked. Conditions like these were found to have led to an increased number of students crossing improperly or unsafely, such as against a red traffic light, somewhere other a designated crossing area, or by suddenly darting out into the street without looking.
When you talk with your kids about traffic safety, please remember to highlight the following safety tips and protocols:
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