Back to School Pedestrian Safety: Top Tips for Parents and Students

With a new school year comes new experiences for our children - new classrooms, new teachers, new friends, and new opportunities to learn and grow. Unfortunately, the start of classes also can expose kids to new injury risks as well - particularly if they are walking to school. In fact, even kids who walk a few blocks to the bus stop are at an increased risk of injury in a pedestrian accident. As a result, it’s a good idea for parents of kids who walk during any part of their commute to or from school to discuss pedestrian safety with their kids.

Pedestrian Safety Tips to Share with Your Children
Here are some pedestrian safety tips provided by Safe Kids Worldwide that can help reduce your child’s risk of involvement in a pedestrian accident this year: 

● At a young age, instruct kids to look left, right, and then left again prior to crossing the street.
● Teach kids to walk on sidewalks or paths whenever possible and to cross at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. When there are no sidewalks or paths, kids should walk against the flow of traffic as far left as possible.
● Tell your kids to make eye contact with drivers when they are crossing the street.
● Cars children to be aware of cars that are backing up or making turns.
● Teach kids not to run into the street or cross from between parked cars.
● Tell your children not to use headphones, phones, or other devices when crossing the street.
● If your children are walking after dark, tell them to be particularly alert and to make sure that they are visible to drivers.

What to Do if Your Child is Involved in a Pedestrian Accident
The sad truth is that pedestrian accidents are bound to occur, even if everyone is as careful as they can be. In the event that your child is involved in an accident, here are some steps that you should take to protect his or her right to recover compensation:

● If you are able to get to the scene of the accident, document as much information as possible about the way that it occurred. Take pictures of the scene, highlighting things like stop signs that the driver may have run or crosswalks giving your child the right of way. If you can, get contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident take place.
● Take your child for a full medical evaluation, even if his or her injuries seem relatively minor or like they will get better on their own. It’s critical that your child’s injuries are diagnosed and that he or she starts treatment as soon as possible. In addition, it’s vital to have an official medical record for the purposes of making an insurance claim.
● Call an experienced personal injury lawyer in Montgomery as soon as you can. An attorney will protect your child’s legal rights during the claims process and allow you to focus on his or her recovery.

Call Luck Law Today to Schedule a Consultation with a Montgomery Personal Injury Lawyer
At Luck Law, we are committed to helping injured victims the compensation they deserve under Alabama law. If you or your child has been injured in a pedestrian accident or any other type of preventable incident, you should speak to an attorney as soon as you can. To schedule a consultation with lawyer Terry Luck, call our office today at (334) 262-5455 or contact us online.