Tips for keeping pedestrians safe on the roads

Posted: Monday, October 29, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 2:47 am, Wed Dec 5, 2012.

(BPT) - When it comes to keeping young walkers safe on America’s roads, the country has made great strides: child pedestrian deaths have plunged 53 percent and injuries are down 44 percent since 1995, according to a study by Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx. Still, the study also indicates that bigger steps are needed to improve pedestrian safety overall, and particularly for teenagers.

Daily, more than 61 children seek medical attention for injuries sustained while walking, and more than 500 children die every year in pedestrian accidents. Teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19 are now the most at-risk age group, accounting for 50 percent of child pedestrian injuries in the past five years. The death rate among teens is now twice that of younger children.