Ontario children are about to embark on another school year, which means that there will be an uptick in pedestrian traffic as many children make their way to and from school on foot. The beginning of the fall semester is a good time to reinforce pedestrian safety to your children.
As soon as they are toddlers, it’s a good idea to introduce safety guidelines to entrench safe pedestrian behaviours while they are young and impressionable. Simply teaching kids that people belong on sidewalks and vehicles on the road can save lives.
As they get a little older, stress the importance of holding an adult’s hand and remembering to look in both directions whenever they cross the street. Initiate conversations with your children about the following safety hazards:
— Darting out into the street to retrieve a ball
— Jaywalking and entering the street from between two parked cars where they may not be spotted by drivers
— Talking on, texting with or being otherwise distracted by smartphones or other digital media devices as they walk along
— Not abiding by provincial pedestrian laws
Children are at a higher risk of injury in pedestrian accidents when:
— The weather conditions are rainy, foggy or it is snowing
— While walking along unfamiliar routes
— During their first few times walking alone or with friends
— When trying shortcuts or alternate routes
No child should be trusted to walk without adult supervision until they are able to:
— Estimate the speed of oncoming traffic
— Be able to determine and use safe crossing routes on streets
— Accurately judge when traffic gaps make for safe crossing
Despite parents’ best intentions, inevitably some children will be injured in pedestrian accidents. Retaining an Ontario personal injury lawyer for representation can be helpful when filing a claim for damages against the driver responsible for a child’s injuries.
Source: parachutecanada.org, "Teaching pedestrian safety to children," accessed Aug. 14, 2015