Last year, MedStar crews responded to 507 auto-pedestrian crashes.
281 of these occurred between June 1st and August 31st, and 41 of those were for victims 15 years old or under.
Now that school is out, drivers need to be aware that children will be ‘out and about’ at all times of the day and night. Nationally, the worst time of day for child pedestrian injury is between 3 and 7 pm, during which time 36% of fatalities occur.[i]
Pedestrian injury is more common when children are outside playing in the summer and the vast majority of pedestrian crashes actually occur under optimal driving conditions in full daylight, when the road is dry, and in the absence of precipitation.[ii]
MedStar offers these simple recommendations to reduce the incidence of pedestrian accidents in the Fort Worth area:
For Drivers:
- Pay attention! Put down the phone, turn down the stereo and be constantly aware of your surroundings.
- Expect the unexpected! Kids do not follow the expected behaviors – they cross mid-block, between cars and when chasing toys such as balls or Frisbees.
- Slow Down! Especially in residential areas or areas with limited visibility, either due to blind corners and driveways, parked cars, blinding sun or darkness.
- Don’t drive impaired! Alcohol, drugs and even sleep deprivation effect your reaction time.
For Parents:
- Teach your kids about the dangers of cars! Teach them to only cross at intersections and to be constantly aware of traffic, including bicycles and motorcycles. And, while you’re at it, teach them that hide and seek around cars is a bad idea!
- WALK around your car before moving it! Every year MedStar responds to the tragic consequence of the parent thinking their kid is in the car, when they are actually in front of it, or behind it.
