The first day of school is right around the corner, and while parents are packing backpacks and making lunches, drivers around the country need to start paying extra attention to pedestrians. Across the country, there are more than 55 million children heading back to class, and roughly 13 percent of these kids walk or ride bikes to school. It can be difficult to spot pedestrians while driving, especially when they are hidden behind parked cars and other obstructions in a driver's line of vision. This danger increases when a person is shorter, as is the case with most school children. For that reason, AAA is urging drivers to take extra precautions in the morning and afternoons when children will be making their way to and from school.
"More than 1,200 children lost their lives during these after-school hours between 2000 and 2010. And although we've seen a steady decrease in the number of tragedies each year, it's important to remember that one death is one too many," said Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, Traffic Safety Advocacy manager for AAA.
The agency recommends drivers resist the urge to put the pedal to the metal, as speed limits in school zones are reduced to protect kids. Plus, a car traveling 25 miles per hour is 66 percent less likely to kill an individual on impact than if it were going 35 miles per hour. AAA also recommends reducing distractions to ensure the driver's eyes are on the road. Even if their eyes leave the road for a second, this can be enough time for a child to step into the roadway.
Drivers should also make sure to check all their blind spots before backing up, keep an eye out for bicycles and always come to a full stop to check for kids nearing or in crosswalks. Adhering to these safety tips can help eliminate the risk of a child being hit by a car when schools open their doors for the year.
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