The Perils of Walking to and from School
Imagine kissing your angel baby good bye in the morning, for their walk to school – Only to get the nightmare call that your child has been hit by a vehicle. More than 1,800 injuries and 45 deaths in Ohio over the last 5 years alone have called serious concern to our children’s safety on their way to and from school each day. With accidents at an all time high since 2012 – we certainly have cause for concern. The numbers are staggering, and the cause may not be what you think!
ODOT reports 102 accidents and 1 fatality in the last year involving kids under the age of 18.
The accidents coincide with the common times that children are on their way to and from school, with over 33% of accidents inexplicably occurring on Mondays.
- Right or left hand turns involved in 25% of accidents
- Another 25% of accidents are due to kids being distracted
Just last year in Kirtland, Ohio a young male was struck while crossing route 306 on his way to school. Since the incident, the city has been aggressively pursuing solutions, but unfortunately this is all to common across Northeast Ohio. The designated cross walk is located past the school lot, and many children just do not want to make the extra trip – Dangerously running across the road in traffic.
Increased risk factors are undoubtedly contributing to the issue;
- Lack of cross walks / crossing guards
- Increase in distracted driving
- Distracted kids – Head phones, smart phones, etc.
- Decrease in budgets for busing
Children commonly feel they are invincible, and simply cannot comprehend the repercussions or dangers that they are facing. Darting into traffic, even in a 20 mile per hour school zone can have grave consequences.
This is a Two Way Street – Drive Safely, and Talk to your Child
The reported leading cause of accidents involving young children traveling to or from school is distracted walking. We are all aware of the dangers of distracted driving, but unfortunately many children are putting themselves in harms way by simply not paying attention.
Talk to your child about walking to and from school safely
- Always cross in a cross walk
- Make sure drivers can see you! Use a flashlight or reflective clothing in early morning and evening hours
- Always pay attention – Avoid phone use or headphones
- Walk on sidewalks, or against traffic on the shoulder
- Do not assume a driver of a vehicle sees you
If your child was involved in an accident coming to or from school, contact my offices today.
I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over four decades, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities. You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 877.944.4373.
