Pedestrian Safety

Whether your kids are walking to school, the park or crossing the street to get to a friend's house, here are a few simple tips to make sure they get there safely.

The hard facts

Unintentional pedestrian deaths are the second leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14. As pedestrians, children are at an even greater risk of injury or death compared to all other age groups. Their small size, inability to judge distances and speeds and lack of experience with traffic rules makes them especially vulnerable.

Top Tips

It is important to talk to your children about how to be safe while walking, and it is our job to watch out for their safety when they're near traffic. Be sure to emphasize to always walk on the sidewalks and cross the street at designated crosswalks, using traffic signals and other indicators.

Be careful at intersections where drivers may fail to yield to the right-of-way to pedestrians while turning onto another street. Teach kids to left, right and left again before crossing the street.

Remind your children to make eye contact with drivers before walking in front of them so they recognize their presence and to watch out for cars that are turning or backing up.

When playing outside at night, remind your children to carry a flashlight and wear bright, retro-reflective clothing to increase their visibility and if they have to walk in the street, walk facing traffic.

Learn more

To learn more about pedestrian safety, check out the video and literature below: