Avoid Accidents in School Zones With These Safety Tips
The academic year is in full swing and even in the winter the roads are still bustling with kids walking and biking to school. Busy parents and school buses add to the traffic congestion, making school zone safety that much more important.
With more vehicles and children on the roads, even a small distraction when behind the wheel can lead to a disaster. Often kids don’t understand the risks associated with being near or on roadways. It is easy to understand why the risk of accidents in and around school zones increases significantly.
The alarming figures of children being killed and seriously injured in school zones!
Each year over 25,000 children are injured in car accidents that occur in school zones. Nearly 100 kids die every year in such accidents. The cause of many of these accidents can be traced back to driver distraction and poor school zone safety practices while driving.
As many as 20% of motorists make their way through school zones without paying complete attention to the road ahead or the pedestrians. In fact, as you read this, almost 17% drivers in school zones are endangering the lives of children and putting them at risk of life threatening injuries.
What is the cause of all these accidents involving children in school zones?
Pedestrian laws are hard for adults to understand and follow at all times, so it’s no wonder that kids are often baffled when sent out on the streets alone. To compound the problem, studies show that one out of six drivers are distracted in school zones.
Preventing accidents in school zones!
Here are a few pointers that may increase school zone safety.
- Be prepared to handle higher volumes of pedestrian traffic when in a school zone.
- Shut off distractions, including music and cell phones when driving through school zones and areas around them.
- Never take your eyes off the road if there are kids around.
- The simplest way to have better control over the vehicle and your reaction time is to slow down. After all, a vehicle going at 25 mph is two thirds less likely to kill a pedestrian than one that is traveling at 35 mph.
- Always abide by the speed limits set for school zones, which are usually between 15-25 mph.
- Always be aware of school zones. This does not take a lot of effort because you will see several signs posted to warn drivers. Yet, a surprising number of people rush through school zones putting the life of small children at risk.
If you or one of your family members has been injured in an accident in or near a school zone, get in touch with one of our attorneys today. We will ensure that you get the compensation you deserve!