As summer quickly rolls to an end, students are gearing up for a new school year. With many children taking the bus to school, it is especially important to review school bus and road crossing etiquette with your child. Unfortunately, pedestrian and school bus accidents increase during the start of the school year. Children are at greater risk in the morning and afternoon.
Statistics shed light on how often pedestrian and school vehicle accidents occur, according to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles:
– In 2014, there were 2,268 school vehicle crashes.
– 774 crashes occurred between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., with another 664 occurring between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
– 1,648 people were injured in these school vehicle related accidents; 79 of these injuries were pedestrians.
– 159 children ages 0 to 9 years old were injured in these crashes, and another 189 injuries were children ages 10 to 13.
These statistics are shocking. Make sure to speak with your children to raise their awareness of bus and road safety.
Implementing some simple safety tips can help keep your children safer while traveling to school. Below are some helpful tips to help keep your child safer this September:
– When crossing the street, look left, right and left again
– Tuck away any distractions in a backpack or pocket
– While waiting for the school bus, stand far away from the curb
– If crossing in front of a bus, make sure to make eye contact with the bus driver and to wait for the driver to signal you it cross
– Don’t run across the street or through a parking lot to try to catch up with your friends
– Always listen to your bus driver and sit quietly in your seat. Speak quietly to the other children near you
– If a school bus has a seat belt – use it!
If we all work together and discuss basic school bus and pedestrian safety, we can decrease the odds of avoidable injury and tragedy.
Always remember to drive extra cautiously in and around school zones. Be aware of children darting out. Children may need extra time to cross the road, so be patient.
At Fellows Hymowitz Rice, we want to increase awareness and promote responsible driving. Let’s make this school year a safe and accident-free one.
If you or a loved one are hurt in a pedestrian or school bus accident, call Fellows Hymowitz Rice at 845-639-9300. The New York Personal Injury Accident attorneys will work hard to seek the justice you deserve.
When you call, you will speak with an experienced, compassionate New York and New Jersey Personal Injury attorney for FREE. We will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you.
At Fellows Hymowitz Rice, we will fight hard to protect your rights. We will work to secure maximum compensation. You will never pay an attorney’s fee up front. We take all cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means that we don’t get paid until you do.
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