PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

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PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

• INFORMATION AND PREVENTION

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TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• Recognize the risk factors that make children
  susceptible to pedestrian injuries or fatalities.
• Identify guidelines parents and adults can apply
  that can keep children safe from pedestrian
  injury.

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PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

• According to the American College of Emergency
  Physicians, 68,000 pedestrians were injured in
  traffic crashes in 2004. On average, a
  pedestrian is injured every 8 minutes in the
  United States.
• According to Safe Kids USA, more than 43,000
  children ages 14 and under were treated in
  hospital emergency rooms in 2001 for
  pedestrian-related accidents.

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MISSOURI PEDESTRIAN- RELATED CHILD FATALITIES

• Of the 91 reviewed motor vehicle fatalities among
  Missouri children in 2006, eight were
  pedestrians three of those were age four and
  under three others were between the ages of five
  and nine.

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• In 2006, a six-year-old was crossing the
  street with two other young children, when she
  started running. She was struck by a passing
  vehicle.

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• In 2006, a four-year-old was left to play in
  the back yard of his home while the father went
  to back his truck into the garage. The child
  entered the garage as the truck was backing in,
  was struck and run over by the rear wheel.

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PEDESTRIAN DEATHS AMONG CHILDREN

• According to Safe Kids USA, children age four and
  under are at greatest risk of traffic-related
  pedestrian death and injury.
• Most children are struck in streets or driveways
  near their homes when darting out between parked
  cars, walking along the edge of the road, or
  crossing in the middle of the block or in front
  of a turning car.

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• Safe Kids USA lists other risk factors for
  children
• Childhood pedestrian injuries occur most often in
  residential areas and on local roads that are
  straight, paved and dry.
• More than half of all pedestrian injuries occur
  when a vehicle is backing up.

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• For all age groups, traffic-related pedestrian
  death is twice as likely in cities as in the
  country.
• High traffic volume, a high number of parked cars
  on the street, higher posted speed limits,
  absence of a divided highway and few pedestrian
  control devices such as crosswalks are all
  factors that increase the likelihood of
  pedestrian injury.

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• According to Safe Kids USA, pedestrian injury
  remains the second leading cause of unintentional
  injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14.
  
• According to the American College of Emergency
  Physicians, forty percent of all young (under the
  age of 16) pedestrian fatalities occurred between
  3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

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• The National Highway Traffic Safety
  Administration lists the following as risk
  factors for young children
• They can not judge speed or distance of vehicles
  moving towards them.
• They move quickly and can run into the street
  without warning.
• They are small and hard for drivers to see.
• They dont know safety rules and expect adults to
  watch out for them.

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PEDESTRIAN SAFETY FOR CHILDREN

• Safe Kids USA lists the following as guidelines
  parents can use to keep their children safe
• Do not allow a child under the age of 10 to cross
  streets alone. Adult supervision is vital until a
  child demonstrates traffic skills and judgments.

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• Require children to carry a flashlight at night,
  dawn, and dusk. Reflective materials should be
  added to a childs clothing.
• Play in driveways, unfenced yards, and streets or
  parking lots should be prohibited.
• Children should take the same routes to common
  destinations (such as school) every time/day.
  Parents should walk with their children to find
  the safest path. The most direct route with the
  fewest street crossings should be used.

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• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
  Administration, parents should teach the safe
  street crossing method. Children should be
  taught to
• Cross with an adult or an older friend.
• Cross at an intersection where there are signals.
  
• Use the crosswalk when crossing near a corner.
  Watch for turning vehicles.

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• Stop at the curb. Look left, right, left, and
  over the shoulder for traffic. Continue to look
  as you cross the street.
• Stop to look around parked cars or other objects
  that block the view of traffic. Let oncoming
  traffic pass, then look again before crossing, as
  you cross.
• Make eye contact with drivers to make sure they
  see you.

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For More Information

• Safe Kids USA, http//www.usa.safekids.org/tier2_r
  l.cfm?folder_id175
• American College of Emergency Physicians,
  http//www.acep.org/patients.aspx?id26166
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
  http//www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/newtips/images/PDFs/C
  PSafetuTip8.pdf

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Missouri Department of Social Services State
Technical Assistance Team

• Address
• PO Box 208Jefferson City, MO 65102-0208
• Telephone [phone](800) 487-1626(8 a.m.
  to 5 p.m. CST, Monday Friday)
• Email
•  dls.stat_at_dss.mo.gov