Children are among the most likely victims of pedestrian accidents. Kids and seniors face a substantially greater risk if they are hit by a car, as compared with adults under aged 65. Because of the risks associated with pedestrian accidents for kids, it is important for both children and drivers to be aware of these dangers and make smart choices for safety. As kids go back to school this fall, drivers especially need to be vigilant and must be careful in avoiding accidents which could cause harm to young children.
Akron Kids Learn to Avoid Pedestrian Accidents
Teaching kids how to safely cross the street is very important in preventing pedestrian accidents. Akron.com writes of an important educational program for children which aims to impart the skills and knowledge that they need to be safe. The program is called Safety Town.
There are numerous Safety Town programs, including a program at Fairlawn-West United Church of Christ in West Akron. There are also programs run by police departments in Richfield, Fairlawn, Copley, and Bath; a program run by the Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department; and programs at Norton City Schools and Highland Local Schools. The Safety Town program was started in Fairlawn-West United Church after one of the congregants read statistics showing a child was being hit in the city of Akron around once every 12 days. In nearby communities where Safety Towns were organized, the pedestrian crash statistics were lower.
The Safety Town program, which runs for five consecutive mornings, works like this: there are various three-wheeled vehicles being driven around by five-year-olds and six-year-olds. The kids ride tricycles around a specially-created temporary "town." There are 10 portable buildings in the "town," and streets are created with the use of colored tape. Railroad crossing signs, stop signs, and traffic lights are also created in each of the temporary towns. Around 200 kids complete the safety training annually, learning important skills which could help save their lives.
Programs like this are important because many young children don't have the skills to stay safe. Kids need to be taught not to step out into traffic, not to come onto the road from in between two parked cars, and to look both ways before crossing the road. Drivers also need to be aware of best practices for safety, including obeying the speed limit and paying strict attention to the road while they are behind the wheel. No matter how careful kids are, accidents can still happen because of irresponsible drivers. If a driver is unreasonably careless while operating a vehicle, they can be held responsible for pedestrian crashes.