Children Spend More Time Outdoors, Playing, Biking, and Walking
Risk of Traffic Incidents Involving Children Increases During the Summer Months
With schools going into recess for summer break, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) is reminding motorists to be alert as children will be spending more time outdoors playing, biking and walking in their communities, increasing the risk of traffic-related deaths and injuries.
“Kids should be able to have an enjoyable summer break with lots of happy memories and not have it marred by a preventable crash,” said Acting DMV Commissioner Christian Jackstadt. “We all have a role in keeping our roadways safe, and by driving responsibly and staying aware we can all do our part to help prevent deaths and injuries and protect young lives.”
A study of child pedestrian injuries by Safe Kids Worldwide, based on data from 2009 through 2023 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), found fatal pedestrian injuries among children peaked during the summer months. According to AAA, statistics show the risk of overall pedestrian injuries peaks for kids ages 5-14.
To combat this, AAA provides the following safety tips for drivers:
- Stay Alert: Watch for children on bicycles, scooters and playing in front of their homes.
- Obey Speed Limits: Drive at or below the posted speed limits, especially in residential areas where children might be present.
- Avoid Distractions: Put down your phone and minimize other distractions while driving to stay fully focused on the road.
- Yield to Pedestrians: Always yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at crosswalks and be prepared to stop when necessary.
- Role Model Safe Behavior: Parents should teach their children about roadway safety, including how to cross streets safely.
Another risk to children that rises in the summer months is the threat of heatstroke from being left or becoming trapped in a car. According to NHTSA, two children on average are killed in a hot car every week during the summer.
NHTSA offers the following tips to prevent child hot car deaths:
- Parents and caregivers should make it a habit to always check the back seat of their car before locking the doors. Once You Park, Stop. Look. Lock.
- Keep your car doors and trunk locked. Next to being left in a car, becoming trapped is the second leading cause of hot car deaths.
- Never leave a child alone in a parked car. A car’s internal temperature can exceed 115 degrees when the outside temperature is just 70 degrees, and a child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than that of an adult.
- If you see a child alone in a vehicle, make sure the child is okay and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately. If the child appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car, breaking a window if necessary, to assist the child.
Learn more about GTSC, and follow the GTSC conversation on Facebook, X and Instagram.
###