Did you know that pedestrian accidents tend to increase over the summer, as children are out of school enjoying their vacation?
Recently, WKRN-TV had an interesting story about how doctors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University were concerned about the number of children they were seeing involved in pedestrian accidents.
According to the doctors, children involved in the crashes were often in the middle of the street or in driveways, where drivers have difficulty seeing them. WKRN reported that during the summer of 2014, the Pediatric Emergency Department at the hospital treated 31 children who were hit by cars.
“[People] believe that when you drive at low speeds, you won’t cause significant injuries,” said Dr. Cristina Estrada, M.D, according to WKRN. “However, many of these are preventable collisions and some of the worst cases I have witnessed have been ones that occur in parking lots and driveways.”
Because of this, the doctors said that children under the age of 10 should not be allowed to cross streets alone. Additionally, they noted that parents should teach their children the following pedestrian safety tips:
- Walk across streets and avoid running
- Do not rush after toys, sports balls or other items that may make their way out into the street
- Try to make eye contact with drivers before you cross the street; do not assume that they can see you
RECOVERING AFTER A PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT
Although these are excellent safety tips, some pedestrian accidents occur simply because of driver negligence or recklessness. When this occurs, victims and their family members can hold a driver liable.
Drivers who speed or are distracted should be held accountable for their actions when they result in pedestrian accidents. Aside from significant injuries, pedestrian accidents often result in deaths. Unfortunately, it has been reported that an estimated 25 to 35 percent of fatal accidents in Nashville involve pedestrians being struck by vehicles.
Stay safe this summer by avoiding actions that can lead to pedestrian accidents, regardless of whether you are driving a vehicle or walking. For more information, you can visit our social media sites by clicking on the icons located on this page. We often post information about vehicle accidents and trends in Nashville on these sites.
“A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” Proverbs 29:11
Source: https://wkrn.com/2015/06/16/vanderbilt-pediatrician-responds-to-large-number-of-child-pedestrian-injuries-and-deaths/