A recent pedestrian accident in Arizona sent a mother and child to the hospital. According to ABC 15, the mother was pushing her child in a stroller when a car struck them both. The child was thrown from the stroller, but when paramedics arrived at the scene, the child appeared alert. Both mother and child were expected to be OK after treatment, and the cause of the crash was under investigation at the time of preliminary reports.

The mother and child in this case were lucky, but not all victims of pedestrian accidents survive. Children and the elderly, in particular, are especially likely to suffer serious or even fatal injuries in pedestrian accidents.

As kids are off from school for summer break, drivers need to be aware of the fact that young children are the leading demographic to die in pedestrian crashes. Drivers should make sure they exercise extra caution to try to avoid striking and hurting or killing a child.

Preventing Pedestrian Accidents in Arizona This Summer

Drivers have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road and to take precautions to keep young people safe. There are a number of different ways drivers can try to reduce the chances of a pedestrian accident happening. For example, drivers should:

  • Be focused on the road at all times. A driver who is distracted, falling asleep behind the wheel, or drunk could end up not paying careful enough attention and could miss seeing a child. Children are more vulnerable to pedestrian accidents than adults because kids are smaller and harder for drivers to see.
  • Slow down, especially in residential neighborhoods. Drivers should not travel faster than the speed limit or faster than is safe for current road conditions. It is especially important for drivers to slow down and be cautious in residential neighborhoods where kids might be out enjoying their summer break.  If drivers slow down, they are not only more likely to see a child in the road and are also more likely to be able to stop in time to avoid hitting a child if necessary.
  • Maintain good visibility. Windshields should be clean and free of debris, and mirrors should be in the right position.
  • Check carefully before backing up. One of the most tragic pedestrian accidents involving children occurs when someone– usually a family member– does not see a child and backs over them. If you’re pulling out of your driveway or otherwise backing up, be sure to look behind you and make sure that your child isn’t behind the vehicle.

If a driver is unreasonably careless and does not take precautions to avoid causing harm to young people, the motorist could be held accountable if a pedestrian accident occurs.