Five Simple Lessons Parents and Caregivers Can Teach Children to Help Them Avoid Injuries On Their Way to School

By ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (Star Patcher)

It is alarmingly common for children to get hit by a vehicle while walking. Recently released data reports that more than 440 kids were killed in 2013 after being hit while walking, and 16,000 more were injured.

That’s 44 children hurt every day.

The surprising statistics demonstrate the need for parents and caregivers to talk to children about safe walking behaviors. With kids starting back to school, now is the perfect time for a refresher course on walking safely.

“Parents know to teach their children to look left, look right and look left again before crossing the street, but that’s just the beginning,” said Diana Starace, injury prevention program coordinator at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and coordinator, Safe Kids Middlesex County. “As kids get older, they’re walking on their own, crossing unfamiliar streets and are out when it’s dark. With just a few more simple tips, kids will be much safer outdoors.”

Safe Kids offers families the following five tips to help keep kids safe on the road:

• Teach kids at an early age to look left, look right and look left again before crossing the street. Remind them to continue looking until safely across.

• Teach kids - particularly teenagers - to put phones, headphones and devices downwhen crossing the street. They can be distracting.

• It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.

• Children under age 10 years should cross the street with an adult. Every child is different, but, developmentally, most kids are unable to judge the speed and distance of oncoming cars until age 10.

• If kids are walking when it’s dark out, teach them to be especially alert and make sure they are visible to drivers. Have them wear light- or brightly-colored clothing and reflective gear.