Category Archive: Children and Cars
Leaving Reporters in Hot Cars
June 11, 2014
A Sacramento area TV reporter decided to experience what it’s like to be left in hot cars for himself. It didn’t take long before he was in distress. This happens all too often to children and dogs. Read more: What it’s like to be stuck in a hot car?
Kid Proofing Your Car
June 9, 2014
One tenet of Murphy’s Law (What can go wrong, will go wrong.) says that “nothing is foolproof because fools are so ingenious.” Not that our children are fools but every parent knows that kids can find some ingenious ways to get into trouble with no regard to the consequences and we owe it to them to do everything possible to prevent trouble. Here is some very good advice on economical ways to kid proof your vehicle. Read more: 5 Ways To Child proof your car – safe Summer travel!
Most Children Killed In DUI Crashes Are Passengers Of Drunk Driver
May 8, 2014
Most often, when a child is killed by a drunk driver, the child isn’t a passenger in another vehicle but instead is a passenger of the drunk driver. A recent study led by Dr. Kyran Quinlan of Northwestern University looked at traffic deaths involving children under the age of 15 over a ten year period. The data showed that, two-thirds of the time in DUI related crashes, the child was being driven by the drunk driver responsible for the crash. The data also showed that, the more the driver had been drinking, the less likely that the child was buckled into a seat belt or child safety seat. Read more: In Crashes That Kill Children, It’s Their Driver Who’s Often Drunk
Parents Continue To Leave Kids In Hot Cars
May 2, 2014
With summer around the corner, it’s important to remember the dangers of leaving kids alone in cars. A study for Safe Kids Worldwide shows a shockingly high number of parents continue to leave kids locked alone in hot cars in spite of knowing the dangers of heat stroke. The number goes up for kids under the age of three. It’s also important that bystanders understand what action to take if they come upon a child left alone in a car. Read more: 14% of Parents Say They Have Left a Child Alone Inside Parked Vehicle Despite the Risks of Heatstroke
School Zone Safety
October 4, 2012
The next time you’re driving through a school zone, put yourself in the shoes of the students getting on or off the bus and crossing the streets and you’ll know it is a highly unpredictable driving situation. You’ll see extra heavy traffic of parents picking up their kids and the students crossing the street on foot and on their bicycles. After you take in the scene of the organized chaos, you’ll understand why school zone speed limits are strictly enforced.
Here are a few school zone safety tips and all drivers to keep in mind:
Why is it so difficult for children to see motorists? Because their peripheral vision is about one-third narrower than an adult’s, children can’t see a motorist approaching from the right or left as soon as an adult can.
Children also have difficulty judging a car’s speed and distance. They often think that if they can see the driver, the driver can see them.
Drivers should observe speed limits at all times, but especially around children. You were taught during driver education class to always expect children to dart out in the roadway or be unpredictable. So, the next time you’re out expect the unexpected when driving in school zones, near playgrounds, or in neighborhoods where children might be playing and SLOW DOWN.
Always yield to pedestrians. When turning left at a green light or making a right turn on red, drivers need to look for pedestrians as well as cars. Pedestrians always have the right of way in these situations.
When a school bus stops you must stop. Never pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children. Passing a stopped school bus is a four point infraction and is very dangerous.
Around most schools the speed limit is either 15 or 20 mph. Special speed limit signs are posted around schools to alert one as they enter the zone. These signs have flashing lights to tell you when the lower speed limit is in effect. There is also a sign to indicate when you have left the school zone.