January 23, 2018 | By Polito & Harrington LLC
Children Have a Higher Risk of Involvement in a Pedestrian Accident
When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, they are responsible for understanding the rules of the road. This includes obeying stop signs, driving the speed limit, and watching for pedestrians in crosswalks. In the state of Connecticut, the law requires that drivers yield to pedestrians who have stepped off of the curb and entered the crosswalk. Common sense would dictate that a driver should slow down near a crosswalk, and check to see if there is a pedestrian nearby who is potentially attempting to cross the street. Unfortunately, common sense does not always rule.
In 2015, more than 5,300 pedestrians in the United States were killed by motor vehicles. The devastating truth about this statistic is that one in five of those pedestrians were children. There are several reasons that children are vulnerable to injury from a car. Children are smaller and weigh less than adults, therefore their injuries are oftentimes more severe. An impact from a moving vehicle might cause minor bruises and scrapes on a large adult, but the same force could result in broken bones or major injuries when the collision is with a smaller person. Children are also typically more active and erratic in their movements, especially when playing. For example, chasing a stray soccer ball into the street without watching for oncoming traffic could have catastrophic results.
How to Protect your Children from Dangerous Pedestrian Accidents
The most important and effective way to protect your child from a pedestrian accident is to provide specific and ongoing education on the rules of the road. Sometimes this will be taught in school as well, but practicing at home will truly help to enforce positive and safe pedestrian behavior. Teach them to look pause and look both ways before stepping off the sidewalk, and always use a crosswalk if there is one available. Practice crossing the street with a green light, and advise them to never dart out into oncoming traffic. Educate them on road signs, and make a game out of crossing the street only when the white “walk” signal is visible, and stay on the sidewalk when the red “don’t walk” sign is showing. Watching your children learn and pay attention to traffic and road signs can help give you confidence that they will be able to safely play outside without injury.
If your Child has been Injured in a Pedestrian Accident in New London, Connecticut Call Polito & Harrington Today
Dealing with an injury or a death of a child is unimaginable. If you are in this situation, your focus will understandably be shifted towards dealing with the aftermath of the accident and working to help your child and your family recover. Let the experienced attorneys at Polito & Harrington take care of the rest. We will work on your behalf to file a claim and recover the compensation that you are due for damages and injuries. Medical bills and lost wages due to caring for a family member can add up, and this is the last thing you will want to think about. We can help you through this difficult time. Call us today at 860-447-3300 for an initial consultation, or contact us online.