Learn to Protect your Children from Bus and Pedestrian Injuries

Children are some of the most vulnerable members of our society to bus and pedestrian-related injuries. Kids are often not aware of the risks or appropriate behaviors to protect themselves. It is up to adults to be responsible and instill these behaviors to make sure children avoid high-risk activities.

Children and Bus Injuries

Millions of children ride school buses every single day. With over 24 million kids riding a bus every day, school bus injuries are bound to happen. Fortunately, they are not frequent, but the fact that they happen at all is enough to warrant precautionary measures. Around 27 school-age kids are killed every year in bus-related accidents. Only 7 of these fatalities involve actual bus accidents; the rest are pedestrian accidents involving kids entering, exiting or walking or running around the bus.

Teach your children to be cautious when boarding and exiting the bus. If possible, wait with your kids at the bus stop and make sure that they don't cross the street or board a bus unless it is safe. Many of these bus-related fatalities involve kids darting into the street after exiting the bus and into the path of an oncoming car that fails to stop. If your kids know not to engage in these behaviors, they are much more likely to be safe.

Kids as Pedestrians

Statistics show that children are at a high risk of pedestrian-related accidents. In the 5 to 19 age demographic, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death. Many of these accidents involve children as pedestrians.

How can you protect your children? Teach them the basics of how to be a safe pedestrian. Make sure they know how to safely cross a road. Make sure they know that they should never chase toys into the street under any circumstances. It is also a good idea not to play anywhere near the street to avoid accidentally wandering out in the midst of a game, or falling unexpectedly.