Summer Safety Tips For Parents

June 16, 2020

With summer approaching and COVID-19 restrictions beginning to loosen up, many parents will take their children out to parks, let them play in their neighborhoods and get them involved in recreational activities.

It’s critical that parents always keep the safety of their children in mind, especially when they are playing near the road.

Potential risks to watch out for

Children are most at risk of being involved in a traffic accident while on foot or while riding a bicycle. Children are most at risk of being hit when:

• Walking or playing too close to the road
• Chasing a ball or other object into the road
• Bicycling, skateboarding, or roller-skating near or in the street
• Crossing the street without being accompanied by a parent or guardian

Driving behaviors that often put children in danger include:

• Distracted driving
• Drunk or drugged driving
• Speeding and aggressive driving
• Failure to acknowledge crosswalks, stop signs, and traffic signals

Creating a safe outdoor place to play

First and foremost, if your children are playing in a yard or at a park, it’s important to keep them as far away from the road as possible. This can be done by:

• Keeping them in a fenced-in area
• Keeping them several feet away from the road, preferably in a field or playground
• Avoiding areas with a high volume of traffic

Effectively monitoring your children from a distance

While coddling your children as they play may not always be necessary, there are effective ways to monitor them from a distance.

If your children are playing, it’s important to monitor them and make sure they are a safe distance from traffic. Ensure that they don’t approach the road or leave the play area.

If your children are riding bicycles, be sure to follow behind them on foot or bicycle. Never let your children walk ahead of you on a sidewalk of a major road or at a crosswalk.

Navigating streets and roadways

When walking or riding a bicycle, it’s important that your children understand when it’s safe to cross the street and how to avoid being hit. This can be accomplished by teaching your children to:

• Use crosswalks.
• Look both ways and ensure no cars are coming before crossing.
• Wear bright clothing in order to be seen by drivers.
• Wear a helmet or other protective gear when bicycling, skateboarding, or roller-skating.
• Always hold hands with a parent or guardian when near a road or crosswalk.

What are my legal options if my child is injured in a traffic accident?

Should you or your child be injured by a negligent driver, the attorneys at Villari, Giannone and Matteo would be glad to go over your legal options with you. Our legal team is dedicated to helping clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey get compensated for current and future medical expenses, lost wages and other crash-related damages.

To schedule your free case consultation, fill out our contact form online or simply call us at 610-609-8477.