In 2009 in the United States, an estimated 59,000 pedestrians were injured; 13,000 of those injured were age 14 and younger, and males accounted for 55% (7,000) of those 13,000 injured.
Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts
Pedestrian Safety Tips
- Always walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk and you must walk in the road, walk on the left shoulder, so you are facing oncoming traffic.
- Dress to be seen. Brightly colored clothing makes it easier for drivers to see you. At night, it’s a good idea to wear reflective material.
- Cross only at intersections or marked crosswalks.
- Stop and look left-right-left before you step into the street.
- If you see a car, wait until it goes by. Then look left, right, then left again until no cars are coming.
- Never assume an approaching driver will obey the law and yield to you.
- Be sure that approaching traffic sees you and yields right of way prior to crossing.
- If a car is parked where you are crossing, make sure the car is parked, and position yourself where you can safely look left-right-left before crossing.
- Continue to look for cars while you are crossing, and remember, walk. Don’t Run.
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Limitations of Children That Every Parent & Driver Should Know!
- Children have a narrow field of vision and lack the periphery awareness of an adult.
- Children cannot judge speed and distance of oncoming objects.
- Children are impulsive by nature, and prone to dart out into the roadway.
- Children cannot detect the direction of a noise.
- Children have magical thinking, believing that if they can see you, you must be able to see them.
- Children do not develop reasonable “fear” instincts until about age 8.
