The long, lazy days of summer are over, and school is back in session. That means more kids are out on Springfield sidewalks and crosswalks. Knowing how to stay safe as a pedestrian is important.
Leigha McKinney, injury prevention specialist at Mercy Springfield, said parents need to be sure their children know a rule that they probably learned as kids.
"I think what we really need to teach them at a young age is just looking left, right, left before they cross the street," she said. "At the crosswalk, it's just really a really good rule of thumb to look left, right, left. We always like that second left because that is the car that's closest to you."
Both children and adults should make eye contact with drivers before stepping into a crosswalk to be sure they’re seen, she said.
One way to get the safety message across, according to McKinney, is to set up a play crosswalk in your living room.
"You can put down some towels, have them stop, say, 'look left, right, left. OK, now we can cross, nothing's coming, we can cross,' " she said.
McKinney recommends kids wear some type of reflective gear even during the day, such as shoes, jackets, backpacks or even water bottles. She said parents should walk with their kids until they’re around 10-years-old or until they’re comfortable being on their own. Hold their hands, if possible, or at least know where they are at all times. And she said parents should remind teens that being on their phone and distracted while walking to school can be dangerous.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2022, 188 pedestrians 14 and younger were killed in the U.S. In the 15 to 20-year-old age group, 277 pedestrians were killed.
