Pedestrian Safety Tips for Children Who Walk to School

October 8, 2017 | Pedestrian Accidents

It’s always exciting to go back to school, but getting back into the school groove can also be chaotic. If your kids walk to school, it’s important to take the time out of your busy schedule to review the ground rules of pedestrian safety with them. When your children walk to school, it increases their daily physical activity and can help foster their independence—but because safety is your top concern, you may need to do some safety homework of your own to protect your child from injuries.

Finding the Safest Route to School

Scout out the safest walking route to school and go over it with your children—practice the route together. There are several important elements that should be given significant weight in determining which is the safest route:

• Even if it makes the trip longer, a sidewalk or path (when available) is always the best option.
• When a path or sidewalk isn’t available, your children should always face traffic and be as far from moving vehicles as possible.
• Minimize intersections on the route. When your children must cross a street, have them cross at intersections equipped with adult crossing guards whenever possible.
• Map out a route that both you and your children feel comfortable with–avoid obvious warning signs, such as poorly lit areas, vacant buildings, unleashed dogs, road construction, or criminal activity.

Partner with the School

Contact your kids’ school and get information about their guidelines for pedestrian safety. The school should have a comprehensive plan—one that adequately addresses your concerns—in place. Further, the plan should meaningfully address specific potential safety issues, such as:

• Routes that don’t include dedicated sidewalks, walkways, or paths
• Routes with crossings that aren’t adequately equipped with crossing lights and guards
• Routes that include security risks, such as construction or high-crime rates

In fact, the school should share guidelines that focus on planning a safe route, crossing streets safely, and strategizing for unsafe situations, including bullying.

Safety Is Your Goal

Keep the safety conversation open and active—with both your kids and the school. Make sure that your children understand the pedestrian rules of safety and know how to implement them. Practice makes perfect, so take the time to practice your kids’ school route with them—until you all feel comfortable with it. In the frightening event that your child is injured on the way to or from school, discuss your rights with a skilled attorney as soon as possible.

If Your Child Was Injured in a Pedestrian Accident, Contact the Fountain Law Firm Today

At the Fountain Law Firm, P.C., we have successfully helped many pedestrian accident victims obtain the compensation they deserve for the injuries and related losses they’ve sustained. To ensure that you are fully compensated, you need an experienced pedestrian accident attorney to handle your case. Attorney Merry Fountain can meet with you–in her office or at your home–today. For a free consultation, call Merry Fountain anytime at 1-888-242-HURT (4878).