Now that school is back in session, I thought it would be a good time to share some interesting and important information about pedestrian safety from a child’s perspective.

Through my work in Portland I have heard from several people involved with kids and traffic safety about the how children’s development makes them much more vulnerable than adults to being hit by motor vehicles.

The following information was taken from a Trauma Nurses Talk Tough newsletter and was written by a Registered Nurse named Shelley Campbell.

When we think about reducing childhood pedestrian injuries, it is important to understand that children do not view the world in the same way as adults. They live in a world that has a mix of fantasy and reality. Yet, they must deal with the dangers of the real world. With an understanding of these differences, there are things that we as adults can do to decrease the incidence of childhood pedestrian injuries.

Children are small.
Because of their size, they are unable to see around or over cars. Be cautious driving around and near parked cars. Be ready to brake if you see a child, they may not see you.

Kids have a 1/3 narrower field of vision than adults do.
Because of this, even if you see them they may not see you.

Kids have not developed their ability to judge speed and distance.
They are unable to make good decisions as to when it is safe to cross when a car is approaching. Their reaction time is slower. They may let a slower car go by and then jump out in front of a faster car. They think that if they see a car, the car sees them and that a car can stop as fast as they can.

Children’s sense of hearing is still developing.
They may not respond as quickly to your horn as you would think. They may have to look several times before locating where a sound is coming from.

Be especially cautious when you see children near and around crosswalks.
They are short on and are unable to make good decisions in complex traffic situations. When approaching a four-lane road for instance, they do not understand that although a car in the first lane has stopped another car may be continuing to come in the next lane over. They also do not always interpret the signs correctly and do not always understand the rules of when and where to cross safely.

Children are not small adults.
They are not entitled by age, physical development or experience. Kids engaged in an activity may not see you. Their attention is easily diverted, especially after school, or when they are in a hurry. Their eagerness to be in motion exceeds their caution. They do not develop a keen sense of danger until 6-7 years of age. They do not understand the meanings and need for the myriad of rules and regulations regarding traffic.

Be careful of children on bikes.
Bikes allow them a sense of freedom and speed but they do not have an adequate sense of caution. In addition, if you see an older child crossing a street, a younger child may be following behind in the older child’s footsteps.

So what can we do now that we know these important developmental facts? There’s no silver bullet. According to Campbell we should model safe behavior around kids, teach them to obey traffic laws, and of course, as drivers we should be alert as possible.