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International Walk to School Week - October 4-8, 2004

 

October 4-8, 2004 is International Walk to School Week! Children, teachers, and community leaders from around the globe will walk together to promote safer, healthier communities. More information about the event can be found at the International Walk to School Week website www.iwalktoschool.org.

 

Because children walk to school year-round, they are at increased risk for pedestrian injuries—they need safer routes. You can help by learning more about these risks and steps you can take to promote pedestrian safety in your community.

 
Why are Children at Increased Risk?

  • More than 4,800 pedestrians died from traffic-related injuries in 2002, and another 71,000 sustained nonfatal injuries (NCSA 2003a). Almost one-fifth of the traffic fatalities among children ages 0-14 years were sustained by pedestrians (NCSA 2003b).
  • Children are at increased risk for pedestrian injuries for several reasons:
    • Their smaller size makes them difficult for drivers to see, especially if they are standing between parked cars on the side of the road.
    • Young children are often unable to judge distances and vehicle speeds accurately, so they can easily misjudge whether it is safe to cross a street.
    • Parents can overestimate their child’s ability to cross the street. Many elementary school-age children don’t understand traffic signals or how to anticipate a driver’s actions.
    • Drivers and child pedestrians each assume (incorrectly) that the other will yield the right-of-way. 

   
Strategies to Promote Pedestrian Safety Disclaimer

  


Injury Prevention Tips for Parents and Children

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Reference

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. 2003a. Traffic Safety Facts 2002: Pedestrians. Washington (DC): National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Public Information Fact Sheet, DOT HS 809 614. [cited 2004 Aug 19]. Available from URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2002/2002pedfacts.pdf.

 

____ . 2003b. Traffic Safety Facts 2002: Children. Washington (DC): National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Public Information Fact Sheet, DOT HS 809 607. [cited 2004 Aug 19]. Available from URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2002/2002chdfacts.pdf.

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Disclaimer
Some of these sites are not CDC sites. CDC is not responsible for the content of web pages found at links to such sites. Links to nonfederal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not indicate an endorsement of these organizations by CDC or the federal government.

     

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This page last reviewed 10/06/04.

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