LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
Millions of Nevada children will head back to school next week, and you'll need to watch out for kids before and after school.
According to AAA, the afternoon hours are especially dangerous for student pedestrians with nearly one-third of fatalities occurring between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. over the last decade.
"More than 1,200 children lost their lives during these after-school hours between 2000 and 2012," said AAA Nevada spokesperson Cynthia Harris. "Motorists need to be especially vigilant when school children are walking to and from school."
AAA provided the following tips for drivers to keep kids safe in school zones:
- Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
- Eliminate distractions. Children often cross the road unexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
- Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles, even those that are parked.
- Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and more than one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m. Get evidence-based guidance and tips at TeenDriving.AAA.com <file:///C:\Users\estepp\Desktop\Downloads\teendriving.aaa.com>.
- Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
- Watch for bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicycle. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that they wear a properly-fitted bicycle helmet on every ride.
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