One would hope that the time period in which a child is leaving school would be a safe one for the child. Unfortunately, there are some dangers that can arise during this period for a child. One is the risk of getting hit by a car. A recent study indicates that the time following school dismissal is a common one for car versus pedestrian accidents involving child pedestrians.
The study looked at 100 incidents in which a child was hit by a motor vehicle in 2012 in one U.S. city: Philadelphia. The study looked at what time of day the accidents occurred. Two of the most common times of day for the accidents were the evening and the time after school dismissal.
While this study focused on a city in another state, it is worth looking at here in Oklahoma because it underscores a point that applies to all states: that there can be pedestrian accident risks for children as they are leaving school and that it is important for steps to be taken to try to reduce these risks.
Many different parties can take steps to try to bring about such a risk reduction.
Among the things schools can do to try to make dismissal a safer time period for kids is make sure to have adequate adult supervision present on school grounds during this time period.
Among the things parents can do to try to reduce the chances of their child getting into a pedestrian accident after school is talk with their kids about pedestrian safety and give their kids safety rules regarding school dismissal.
Among the things drivers can do to try to reduce the risk of kids getting hit by cars as they are leaving school is exercise great care when driving in school zones, particularly during school dismissal times.
When a child is hit by a car, whether it be while leaving school or some other time, one thing a parent may wonder is if the accident came about because the car’s driver or some other party didn’t act the way they were supposed to. Attorneys can help such parents look into who was responsible for the crash and what can be done to hold the responsible parties accountable for what happened to their child.
Source: U.S. News & World Report, “School Dismissal a Dangerous Time for Kids Getting Hit By Cars,” Robert Preidt, March 24, 2015
