With August here and the end of summer looming, many parents in the Indianapolis area are preparing to send their children back to school—if they haven’t already. For many kids, a new school year means a daily walk from their home to a bus stop, a friend’s house to catch a ride, or to their school itself.

Walking as part of a commute to and from school exposes kids to a risk of involvement in a pedestrian accident, whether they are seven or 17. For this reason, it is extremely important for parents to discuss pedestrian safety with their children regularly, and the start of a new school year is a great opportunity to for a refresher.

Here are some safety tips provided by the nonprofit organization Safe Kids Worldwide:

• Teach kids that it is always best to walk on sidewalks or pathways. If there are none available, walk against the flow of traffic, as far over to the left as you can safely walk.
• Instruct your children they to look left, right, and then left again before stepping out into the street. Once they are crossing the street, they should continue to watch for traffic until they have reached the other side.
• Teach children to put away their devices and remove their headphones when they are walking around traffic. In addition, be a good role model and do the same yourself.
• In general, children under ten should not cross the street without the assistance of an adult, as they cannot judge speed and distance well enough to cross safely.

If Disaster Strikes, Know What to Do

Unfortunately, no amount of preparation can completely eliminate a pedestrian’s risk of involvement in an accident. If a motorist hurts your child on his or her way to or from school, there are certain steps you should take to ensure that your child’s legal rights are protected. These include the following:

• Call 911 to summon police and emergency medical personnel to the scene. If a traffic violation was involved, the police will likely issue a citation, potentially making it easier to recover compensation.
• Have your child evaluated by a physician as soon as you can after the accident. Do this even if your child was not taken to the hospital by the EMTs on the scene.
• Refuse any settlement offers you receive from the driver or his or her insurance company until you speak to a lawyer
• Call an attorney as soon as you can to retain legal representation.

Call Our Office Today to Speak with an Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

Pedestrian accidents are among the most dangerous kinds of accidents in which a person can be involved. Fortunately for victims, cars and trucks hit pedestrians, it is often the driver’s fault, which means that they can usually recover compensation for the losses they sustain. The Law Office of Hurst Limontes LLC been representing the rights of the injured for nearly 40 years and is ready to discuss your case at no cost to you. To schedule a free case evaluation with an attorney, call our office today at (317) 636-0808 or send us an email online.