Pedestrian Safety

Fewer children are walking and exposing themselves to the risks of traffic today. Yet pedestrian injury remains one of the second leading causes of accidental-injury related death among children between the ages of 5 and 14.

Children are at an increased risk for pedestrian injury and death because the traffic rules and risks often is beyond their cognitive, developmental, behavioral, physical, and sensory abilities. In addition, parents and caregivers often overestimate their child's traffic skills.

One specific age group, ages 1 to 2, is at increased risk for nontraffic-related pedestrian injuries, such as when a car backs up in the driveway, parking lot, or on sidewalks.

Unfortunately, injuries experienced by child pedestrians are often severe.

Where do most child pedestrian injuries and deaths happen?

Many child pedestrian deaths happen in the evenings when visibility may be reduced. Areas that pose an increased risk of injury or death as a child pedestrian, include the following:

  • High traffic areas

  • Areas with a high number of parked vehicles on street

  • Areas with higher posted speed limits

  • Areas with no divided highways

  • Areas with few pedestrian-control devices, such as crosswalk signals

  • Locations that lack specific play areas 

  • Residential areas

  • Straight, paved, dry roads

How do I keep my child safe as a pedestrian?

  • Children under age 10 should not be allowed to cross streets by themselves.

  • Teach proper pedestrian behavior by modeling pedestrian behavior correctly. Examples include crossing at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks when available, and making eye contact with drivers before crossing.

  • Teach children to look LEFT, RIGHT, and then LEFT again when crossing a street. Also teach children to continue looking around when crossing.

  • Teach children that seeing the driver in a vehicle does not mean that the driver can see them.

  • Never allow children to run into the street.

  • Don't allow children to play in driveways, unfenced yards, streets, or parking lots.

  • When walking along a street with no sidewalks, teach children to walk facing oncoming traffic, as far left as possible.

  • At dawn and dusk, children should wear reflective materials and carry flashlights.

  • Teach children to cross the street at least 10 feet in front of a school bus.

  • Children should wait for adults on the same side of the street where the school bus loads and unloads.

Other preventive measures to take include insisting on safer traffic measures, pedestrian walkways that separate pedestrians from the traffic, and lower speed limits.