Do You Know the Dangers to Your Child of Being Killed by a Car?

Do You Know the Dangers to Your Child of Being Killed by a Car in Humble, TX?

Humble, TX is a high-traffic city. In fact, our local region is one of the busiest traffic areas in the state and even in the nation. Texas holds one of the top four spots in the number of pedestrians killed by cars. Texas, with the other three states in this Un-FabFour, accounts for more than 40% of pedestrian fatalities by car, but only for 5% of overall car accident fatalities. That means that pedestrians are WAY over represented in the number of car accident fatalities. The NHTSA says that 2009 saw more than 4,000 pedestrian deaths and almost 60,000 injuries from moving vehicles in the U.S. Sadly, child pedestrians make up a high proportion of those numbers.

Take a look at a breakdown on some of the numbers:
1. SafeKids states that the cost of pedestrian deaths and injuries in children 14 and under stands at about $5.2 billion annually.

2. More than 40% of child pedestrian fatalities in traffic occur between the time school lets them out in the afternoon and twilight.

3. More than 80% of child pedestrian fatalities happen at non-intersection parts of the road.

4. Almost 40% of child pedestrian fatalities in children 4 and under occur at non-traffic locations like driveways and parking lots.

5. Children aged 9 and under have a pedestrian death rate 20% higher than that of children aged 10 through 14.

A recently reported injury to a local 10-year-old boy struck by a car in a driveway brought home the dangers of moving vehicles to our children, both on and off the roads. Think about their helplessness against a motor vehicle of any size, and take extra precautions to protect their safety. Young children can't always be expected to "look both ways" or observe the rules of the road. So we have to take that into account, and look out for them.

As a Humble, TX personal injury lawyer and a parent, I am deeply moved by the plight of these innocent children struck by moving vehicles, and who suffer injury or death at the hands of drivers who probably didn't notice their small presences. So many children are accidentally injured or killed in their own driveways, where they probably felt safe. The drivers in these tragic driveway accidents are usually family or friends.

Just a slight collision can cause major damage to their fragile, still-growing bodies. A "non-life threatening" injury can cause disabilities that will affect them the rest of their lives. So take care, and check the length of the "blind zone" you have behind you when backing up your car. Statistics indicate that the child you save could be your own.