Broward Injury Lawyer Blog
A 14-year-old skateboarder was thinking about everything but getting into a fatal pedestrian accident in Taramac. According to the Sun Sentinel, the Broward Sheriff’s Office reports that the young skateboarder was crossing Pine Island Road at about 10:00 p.m. when an elderly driver from Coral Springs slammed into him.
The victim was transported to the North Broward Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead, according to the Sun Sentinel.
According to a recent report from the Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS), there were more than 40 young skateboarders who were killed in skateboarding-related accidents outside of skate parks in 2006. A large number of these fatal accidents did in fact involve a motor vehicle. Just as we urge drivers to be on the lookout for pedestrians and bicyclists, we also ask drivers to keep an eye out for young children who are riding scooters, skateboards and other wheeled rides.
Broward County pedestrian accident lawyers urge parents to talk with the young ones in their family to help to reduce these kinds of accidents. These young travelers may not be able to comprehend the dangers that accompany motor-vehicle traffic. For this reason, it’s important to teach them the safety skills they need to help them to avoid and auto accident.
How risky is the situation? There were nearly 5,000 children under the age of 14 who were killed from unintentional injury in 2008. According to Safe Kids USA, there were nearly 6,200,000 additional children who were injured and treated in emergency rooms across the country from unintentional injuries. The leading cause of these fatal accidents was in fact motor vehicle accidents.
How do these accidents happen? Oftentimes these kinds of accidents happen when a motorist is reversing and fails to see a young child behind the vehicle. About half of backover accidents that killed these young children happen at their own home. Nearly three-fourths of all child pedestrian accidents happen at non-intersection locations. They’re also likely to happen between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., when they’re home from school and the sun begins to set.
So how do we help our young ones? Consider teaching your little pedestrian, bicycler, skateboarder or rollerblader the following safety tips.
Safe Tips for Kids Near Roadways:
-Always cross the street at a street corner that has crosswalks and traffic signals.
-Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
-Look left, right and back left again before and while walking cross across the road.
-Always walk on sidewalks and paths when they’re available.
-When there are no sidewalks, walking facing oncoming traffic as far to the left as possible.
-Keep an eye out for cars that are backing up.
-Wear brightly-colored clothing, especially when traveling near the roadway as the sun sets.
If you or your child has been hurt in a bicycle, scooter or pedestrian accident in Broward County, contact Fort Lauderdale Pedestrian Accident Attorney Richard Ansara at 954 761-3641 or toll-free at 877-277-3780 for a free initial consultation.
More Blog Entries:
Six-Year-Old on Scooter Critically Injured in Two-Car Accident in Pompano Beach, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, March 1, 2012
Risks of Bicycle Accidents in Broward County Increased with Bike-Sharing Program?, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, March 15, 2012
