Labor Day weekend typically marks the end of summer and the start of the school year. It also means more children on the sidewalks and more high school drivers and buses on the roads during the morning and afternoon hours.
How can we ensure that our children are safe from car accidents? What can we do to drive safely around children? And how can we hold negligent drivers responsible when a child is injured in a car accident?
How can we ensure our children are safe?
As we send our young children off to school, or leave them on the bus stop, it is vital to teach them the rules of the road. Even if you have told your children to look both ways before crossing the road and to stay off the road while playing at the bus stop, the start of school is a great time to remind them.
Teach them to make eye contact with their bus driver before crossing the street in front of the bus and to use both their eyes and ears whenever they cross a street. Tell them to wait for the bus driver to stop completely before boarding the bus.
It might also be helpful to create a map of your children’s route to school or the bus stop and to walk with them for a few days to help them become accustomed to it.
Finally, if your children are driving into school, make sure that they know and follow all traffic laws. Teenagers are prone to stay up late and school requires them to wake up early. If they seem too tired to drive, they probably are. Recommend that they take the bus on days after long nights.
What can we do to drive safely around children?
Of course, it is not all up to the kids. Tired drivers going into or returning from work must also take steps to prevent accidents.
No matter what time of day, watch out for kids crossing the street (with or without crossing guards), expect kids at bus stops to run into the street (because they will) and go the speed limit. Many accidents are caused by drivers who are simply not paying attention to what is going on around them. You should be constantly scanning the road and sidewalks to watch for dangers.
How can we hold negligent parties responsible after a child is injured?
Inattentive drivers who cause child pedestrian accidents, bus accidents or other accidents involving children should be held accountable for the injuries they cause. If your child was injured by a negligent driver, you can bring a personal injury claim against the driver. To learn more about personal injury claims, please see our web pages on car accidents.