Pedestrian

A 7-year-old darts into the street after an escaping ball. At dusk, a driver fails to see his pre-teen neighbor playing street hockey. A toddler squirms from her father’s grasp and runs behind a backing car. These are a few of the all-too-common scenarios that can lead to pedestrian injury. How common? In 2001, 669 children ages 14 and under died from pedestrian injuries. Of these, 521 died in motor vehicle-related traffic crashes.

Worse, child pedestrian injuries are frequently serious or deadly. In 2002, more than 43,300 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for pedestrian-related injuries.  Despite recent declines, pedestrian injury remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14. 

Inherent risks such as a child’s size and cognitive ability, and environmental risks such as speeding motorists, are numerous – that’s why prevention measures are so important. You can reduce your children’s risk of harm by modeling and teaching safe pedestrian behavior. You can also join groups like Safe Kids in advocating for safer pedestrian environments across your community. To find out more, explore the following links.

National survey reveals nearly two-thirds of drivers speed in school zones, suggesting neglect of child pedestrians nationwide. Read more in A National Survey of Speeding in School Zones (October 2000).

Hundreds of kids are still hit by cars and killed each year. Read the Safe Kids report, Report to the Nation on Child Pedestrian Safety (October 2002).

New study finds nearly half of drivers violate stop signs where young children walk. Read more in Stop Sign Violations Put Child Pedestrians at Risk: A National Survey of Motorist Behavior at Stop Signs in School Zones and Residential Areas (October 2003).

To purchase educational materials about preventing pedestrian injury, check out our Resource Catalog (off-site link).