Now that school is back in session, it’s important to highlight the need for pedestrian safety in and around school zones. Unfortunately, Georgia pedestrian accidents involving children occur each year around schools in the following areas:
- Crosswalks
- Parking lots
- School bus stops
- School bus loading and unloading zones
Time after time, these child-pedestrian accident injuries are often not the fault of the child, but rather a careless driver. Drivers are constantly in such a hurry to drop off a child at school and get to work or make an appointment on time that they speed through school zones. Additionally, many drivers participate in distracted driving by texting while driving, eating and drinking, grooming themselves, selecting songs on their iPods, or playing with their navigation systems.
When drivers participate in any of the above activities, Atlanta pedestrian-accident injuries can occur to those in and around school zones. Unfortunately, parents cannot control the actions of other drivers and keep their children safe, but they can talk with their kids about walking safely in school zones. Some things to remind children about walking safely to and from school include:
- Only cross the street in a crosswalk
- Before crossing the street, look both ways
- Don’t dart out in front of moving vehicles
- Don’t cross the street without making eye contact with drivers
Remind children that just because they are crossing in a crosswalk around their school, it doesn’t make them safe. Sadly, many drivers blow through stop signs and cause serious injuries or fatal injuries to children. This is why children need to be cautious and reminded about the dangers of crossing the street safely.
However, even if you talk with your child about the above items, a negligent driver can still cause injuries to your son or daughter in a Georgia pedestrian accident. Even the most careful children can be hurt by drivers failing to stop at stop signs or who are distracted at the wheel.
Call a skilled Atlanta pedestrian injury lawyer at Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656 to find out more about your rights in a free consultation today.