Each year, more than 544 child pedestrians are killed. They also cause 27,440 emergency room visits by kids. Boys are more likely to be killed than girls. Kids ages 3 and younger are most likely to be killed. Source: SafeKids.org.
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.
Rules for Kids: Safety Checklist
- Teach kids all of the safe walking rules to follow.
- Never allow kids under age 10 to cross streets alone.
- Tell kids never to run into the street for any reason. They shouldn’t chase a ball, a pet or anything else.
- Make sure kids use direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
- Teach kids to cross 10 feet in front of the school bus, never behind.
- Make sure kids play in safe places like yards, parks and playgrounds. Kids should never play in the street.
- Hold kids’ hands in parking lots and while crossing the street.
- Keep kids from walking alone when it is hard to be seen. That includes dawn, dusk, early evening and rainy and foggy weather.
- Make sure kids wear retroflective materials. They bounce back light so the wearer can be seen. Retroreflective materials are found on clothes, shoes, stickers and arm and leg bands.
