Pedestrians are particularly at risk in car accidents because they have nothing to protect them from impact when a car strikes them. While every pedestrian could potentially be injured or even killed when involved in an accident, there are certain demographic groups whose risks are elevated. These include children and the elderly.
Just recently, KOCO Oklahoma City reported on an accident in Northwest Oklahoma City which involved a young pedestrian. A five-year-old boy was struck by a vehicle on a Friday afternoon while on the 2700 block of Northwest 18th Street near North May Avenue. The condition of the child and the extent of his injuries resulting from the pedestrian car accident is not yet known.
Accidents like this one can often be avoided, so both drivers and parents of young children need to make sure they are following best practices for safety in order to reduce the number of car accidents involving pedestrian children.
Keeping Oklahoma City Children Safe from Pedestrian Car Accidents
Pedestrian car accidents are more likely to occur during the summertime when kids are out of school, and during the times when children are walking to and from school. Drivers can take some simple steps to try to ensure they do not cause pedestrian car accidents, especially during these high risk times. For example, drivers should:
- Pay careful attention at all times when driving, especially in locations where children are likely to be. Drivers need to be especially watchful around schools, in residential neighborhoods, and around parks and recreational areas where children congregate. Drivers should never be on a cell phone or otherwise distracted by electronics, but especially not if they are around an area where they are likely to encounter kids.
- Obey the speed limit and slow down in residential areas. A driver who is going slower can spot children sooner and make sure they do not strike them. A slower moving vehicle is also far less likely to cause serious injuries or death, compared with a car moving much faster. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates reducing the speed from 40 to 30 miles per hour can reduce a 20 percent drop in pedestrian accidents and a 50 percent drop in pedestrian deaths.
- Follow all rules of the road and stay alert at all times. No driver should ever be intoxicated or otherwise violate the rules of the road when driving. Drivers should also avoid getting behind the wheel when they are too tired to be safe and should stop driving when they doze off.
Parents also need to try to protect their children from pedestrian accidents. Children should be taught to look both ways when crossing a street and never to step out onto a street from in between two parked cars. When walking with younger children, parents should hold their hands when crossing roads or when near to roadways.