Your children’s health and safety are of utmost concern to you. As they get older, they go off to school and play, and you can’t always be there to protect them. Naturally, you worry about them getting hurt. The best way to ease your worries and increase your children’s safety is to teach them to be cautious and safe pedestrians.
One of the biggest safety threats to children is moving vehicles. In 2007, about 14,000 children under 14 were injured (with just over 300 killed) in pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions. The majority of these crashes are due to unsafe crossing behavior by pedestrians. Teaching your children about pedestrian safety at a young age can help to decrease their risk of being involved in crashes as a pedestrian.
Elementary age children are at greatest risk for vehicle-pedestrian crashes because of their limited developmental skills. Children in this age group:
What can you do to protect your child against injury or death resulting from a pedestrian accident? Here are some guidelines to help.
Intersections
RESOURCE:
National SAFE KIDS Campaign
http://www.safekids.org/
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
Canadian Resources:
Canada Safety Council
http://www.safety-council.org/
References
National SAFE KIDS Campaign website. Available at: http://www.safekids.org .
Prevent pedestrian crashes: Parents and caregivers of elementary school children. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Last updated October 2008. Available at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.dfedd570f698cabbbf30811060008a0c/. Accessed on January 21, 2009
Tabibi Z, Pfeffer K. Chossing a safe place to cross the road: the relationship between attention and identification of safe and dangerous road-crossing sites. Child Care Health Dev. 2003;29:237-244.
Tolmie A, Thomson JA, Foot HC, et al. The effects of adult guidance and peer discussion on the development of children’s representations: evidence from the training of pedestrian skills. Br J Psychol. 2005;96:181-204.
Traffic Safety Facts—Children, 2007. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Available at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.dfedd570f698cabbbf30811060008a0c/. Accessed on January 21, 2009.
Utah Department of Health website. Available at: http://health.utah.gov/.
Last reviewed January 2009 by Janet H. Greenhut, MD, MPH
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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