For many of us, memories of childhood summers involve long lazy days playing outside with our friends, exploring our little corner of the world. While summers tend to be more structured for children these days, kids still tend to have more free time than they do during the school year, and the warm weather makes walking around the neighborhood and playing outside much more appealing than it is during the winter months.
These combined factors mean that kids tend to walk more often in the summer than at other times of the year. Unfortunately, this exposes them to an increased risk of injury. Here are some pedestrian safety tips shared by Safe Kids Worldwide that can help children stay safe while playing and walking outside this summer:
- Children under 10 should never cross the street without an adult
- Only cross at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks
- Before crossing, look left, right, and then left again
- Walk on sidewalks or paths whenever possible
- If there is no sidewalk or path, walking into the flow of traffic as far to the right as possible
- Never walk in between parked cars or run out into the street
- Play in safe areas, away from vehicles and streets
Protecting Your Rights in the Event of an Accident
Unfortunately, if your child is going to go outside, it is impossible to reduce the risk of a pedestrian accident to zero. In the event that he or she is involved in an accident, there are certain steps that you should take to ensure that your child’s legal rights are protected. These include the following:
- Call 911 and let the operator know that a pedestrian accident has occurred. This will summon police and emergency medical personnel to the scene. The police will assess whether any traffic violations occurred, which may determine whether you and your child can obtain compensation. In addition, a medical professional will evaluate your child, ensuring that he or she receives any necessary treatments.
- Collect information about the accident. If you can, take photographs of the scene of the incident and get contact information from any eyewitnesses.
- Have your child fully evaluated by a medical professional, even if he or she is not taken to the hospital and seems fine. In addition, make sure that you and your child follow all treatment recommendations, including referrals to specialists, physical therapy, pain management, and follow-up visits.
- Call an attorney as soon as you can. Waiting can result in the loss or destruction of evidence and may even make it impossible to recover compensation at all.
Call a Duluth Personal Injury Attorney Today to Discuss Your Case
If you or your child has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you should retain an experienced lawyer right away. In many cases, pedestrian accident victims are entitled to significant compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, lost quality of life, loss of future opportunity, and physical and emotional pain and suffering. As a former insurance defense lawyer, attorney David Brauns knows how to get his clients the settlement they deserve and isn’t afraid to take a case to court if it becomes necessary. To schedule a free case evaluation with Mr. Brauns, call our office today at 404-418-8244 or send us an email through our online contact form.
