PROTECTING OUR KIDS SAFE AROUND CARS

Many outdoor activities just beckon kids to play on the driveway: drawing with chalk, riding tricycles or bikes with training wheels, or playing with water hoses. But those kid-safe activities can easily turn from fun to tragedy from motorists who unintentionally back over small kids at play.
The number of injuries and deaths from backovers is on the rise. And driveways aren't the only place where kids get backed-over. Parking lots are another hazard area, especially around areas where kids may be standing around or not as closely supervised, like at snow cone stands or parks. Another place where tragic accidents can occur is at daycare centers, schools or places where recreational activities for kids are held. Kids get out of cars and excitedly run to the building ahead of their parents, and their small size makes it hard for motorists to see them.
Many of today's vehicles have so-called "blind spots" where drivers cannot see what is directly behind them. Some higher-end vehicles feature sensors with alarms that go off when the car is close to backing into something (including a child), although most cars do not have the device and there is no federal standard for automotive visibility.
A recent research indicates that at least two children each week are being backed over and killed, indicating that this is a huge issue and growing as more and more cars are on the road. Drivers get into a routine and may assume there is nothing behind them, especially when it's their own driveway. However, the best advice is to always pay extra attention to your surroundings. When backing, even if you have determined the way is clear, continue to be vigilant for any small kids who may make a dash down a sidewalk or dart through parked cars.

Protecting Our Kids Safe Around Cars

• Look behind and around your vehicle before moving it, especially when parked around areas where many kids are.
• Hold your child's hand firmly (even under protest) while walking from a car into a building.
• Never let your child walk or run ahead of you to anyplace where cars are.
• Know where your kids are before moving your vehicle. Make sure all children move safely away from you vehicle where they are in full view before moving the car and that another adult is supervising them--avoiding the last-second dash to pick up a toy or ball
• Let kids know they are NEVER to enter the street for any reason whatsoever. No exceptions!
• Explain to kids how cars that are parked can suddenly move or back-up and that the driver may not see them.

• Teach kids that they are to never play in, around or behind a car.

• Make your driveway a toy-free zone. Never allow any toys, bikes, chalks or any type of equipment to remain on the driveway.
• Never leave your child alone in the car or around the car, even for a quick second.
• If you experience a small child darting through cars or into your path, immediately stop and speak to the child (as long as you feel safe about doing so) and whoever is supervising, and explain that if you hadn't been watching, the child would have been hurt. Use the moment as a safety lesson to hopefully lessen the likelihood that the child will be more careful and the adult supervising the child will be more attentive.