According to a study by SafeKids.org, about 61 children are hit by cars every day in the United States, most often during the hours before and after school, and peaking in September. And, there has been a noticeable demographic shift. It is now much more likely a teenager will be hit by a car than his younger counterpart.
Back in 1995, children ages 5 to 9 were at higher risk than any other age group under 19 for being struck by a vehicle while walking.
Eliminating Distracted Walking
Because of these facts and shift in demographics, the National Safety Council is focused on efforts to eliminate distracted walking – specifically walking while texting. According to a study by The Nielsen Company, kids age 13 to 17 send more than 3,400 texts a month. That’s seven messages every hour they are awake.
The kids in this video seem to validate those texting statistics.
Before your children head out, remind them of these year-round safety tips:
Never walk while texting or talking on the phone
If texting, move out of the way of others and stop on the sidewalk
Never cross the street while using an electronic device
Do not walk with headphones on
Be aware of the surroundings
Always walk on the sidewalk if one is available; if a child must walk on the street, he or she should face oncoming traffic
Look left, right, then left again before crossing the street
Cross only at crosswalks
Safe Kids’ Gary Karton hits the streets of Washington, D.C., to talk with teens about the dangers of distracted walking. In our recent survey, we found that half of teens say they cross the street while distracted by a mobile device.
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