Road trips are common during the summer months, helping many children return to class with exciting “What I did over summer vacation” reports. But no matter your travel stories, now’s your chance to shift your focus from adventure to learning.
Children complain about waking up in the morning this time of year, as parents struggle to get their kids back into a routine. Getting to class before the bell rings is a requirement – and one that requires motorists’ collaboration to keep students safe.
Three ways to reduce the potential of injuring a child
A child’s thought process isn’t as well-developed as an adult’s; they don’t recognize the dangers around them.
Kids should look both ways before crossing the street, biking across an intersection or playing tag at a bus stop, but failing to do so need not be catastrophic. Drivers can do their part to mitigate risk.
To reduce the chance of accident injuries:
- Remain present while in control of a motor vehicle. As always, your focus should be on the road when you are in the driver’s seat.
- Stop for school buses with an extended stop arm and flashing red lights. These are indications that students are getting on or off the bus – prepare for the unexpected.
- Proceed with caution through school zones. Some kids walk to school, while others ride their bikes or wait at a designated location for parent pick-up. Just as you can’t predict a child’s actions, seeing what’s happening around a bus is impossible.
Causing harm to a child is unconscionable, and the consequences for doing so may be severe.
Parents of an injured child have up to three years to file a personal injury claim. They have every right to pursue justice if negligence affects a family member.