Do Your Kids Walk to School?
If your kids have not gone back to school yet, they will soon, and you are probably both looking forward to it and dreading it. As a parent, it is only natural for you to worry about your children’s safety from the moment they leave the house, regardless of how they get to school.
According to the National Safety Council, riding a school bus is safer than carpooling or walking to school, but the bus may not be an option for all families. For example, if you live fairly close to the school, your neighborhood may not even be on the bus route.
If your children walk to school, they need to take certain precautions to avoid a pedestrian collision, even when they have the right of way. In the state of Louisiana, motorists must stop for pedestrians on crosswalks, but unfortunately, not everyone does.
If a reckless or distracted driver injured your child while he or she was walking to school, your family may be entitled to compensation for any damages incurred. To discuss your case with an injury attorney, turn to Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers.
Our award-winning legal team has helped clients recover more than $200 million in cash settlements and verdicts. Call 800-522-6733 to schedule a free case evaluation with an Alexandria accident lawyer.
Read on to learn a few tips for improving your children’s safety when they are walking to school:
- Pick a Route—and Stick to It
Consider all possible routes that your children can take to and from school, and pick the safest one. Look for routes that have sidewalks, marked crosswalks, crossing guards, and slow speed limits.
Once you have decided on a route, go over it with your children again and again until you are sure they have memorized it. This way, if they are ever late, you know you can simply drive along the route and you will find them.
- Explain How Traffic Signals Work
If there is a stoplight on the route, make sure your children understand what each color means. If there is a walk signal, you should remind them that just because cars are stopped does not mean it is safe to cross. Reinforce the idea that they should only cross when the walk signal tells them to do so.
- Remind Them to Look Both Ways—Twice
Children can get distracted easily, and if they do not see a car heading their way, they may assume it is safe to cross. Remind your kids that they need to look both ways—twice—before stepping out onto the street.
- Eliminate Distractions
Many children have smartphones nowadays so their parents can track where they are at all times. Although this is a helpful safety feature, the phone itself can pose certain dangers. Tell your children that using the phone is off-limits when they are walking home from school so they will remain aware of their surroundings at all times.
- Encourage Your Children to Walk with Other Neighborhood Kids
Motorists are more likely to see large groups of pedestrians, so if there are other children in your neighborhood who walk to school, talk to their parents about all of your kids walking together.
If your child was injured in an accident while walking to school, turn to Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers. Call 800-522-6733 to schedule a free consultation with an injury attorney in Alexandria. You can learn more about car accident claims in Louisiana by visiting USAttorneys.com.
