Pedestrians are no match for vehicles. Injuries resulting from pedestrian accidents are often serious. It is even worse when the pedestrian is a child. Child pedestrian accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.
As a parent, you may assume that your child walking to his destination would be the safest alternative. However, statistics show that child pedestrian accidents occur more often than we’d like to believe. An average of 50,000 children are involved in pedestrian accidents with motor vehicles every year.
Take Extra Caution
Child pedestrian accidents have been listed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as one of the leading causes of fatalities amongst children. According to the organization, over 20% of the fatalities in traffic accidents recorded in 2011 were children.
Though the numbers are high, these accidents are preventable with a little extra caution. Even though laws are strict when it comes to school zones, it is important for drivers to take extra caution and watch out for children on roads to avoid accidents. Drivers are expected to take extra caution near schools, crosswalks and parks. These are areas where these accidents are most likely to occur.
Children are hard to see due to their small size. They are also less likely to react to protect themselves when they encounter an oncoming vehicle. As a result, children are more likely to suffer serious injuries from a pedestrian accident.
When the Accident Involves a School Bus
It is surprising to note that more than 80% of the children killed in school bus accidents aren’t harmed while on board the bus. The worst injuries suffered by children involving school buses occur while boarding or alighting from the bus.
These types of accidents can be prevented with some extra caution. This includes using stop signs or displaying flashing lights when picking up or dropping off children. This indicates to other road users to stop and wait until the child is safely on or off the bus and the lights are turned off or the stop sign retracted.
What if My Child was Injured in a Child Pedestrian Accident?
If your child was injured in a child pedestrian accident, you can seek compensation on their behalf. You can do this with the help of an experienced pedestrian accident attorney. Look an attorney with experience handling child pedestrian accidents such as Mark Panzavecchia in New York City and Long Island.
Panzavecchia & Associates, PLLC offers free claim evaluations for pedestrian accidents occurring in New York and Florida.