Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
In a recent pedestrian accident, the life of a young boy was taken. According to 7 NEWS, the boy’s family was checking out of the Forum Hotel in Pompano Beach when the accident happened. The child was playing with a ball outside while parents dealt with business inside.
The boy kicked the ball into the street. He ran to get it and was hit by a passing van. Now, all that marks the scene of the accident is a pink, spray-painted circle where the little boy was hit. The child was taken to the Broward General Hospital after the accident and medical professionals were able to get him breathing again, but it didn’t last long. According to doctors, his injuries were too severe to survive. Police are still looking into the details but are saying that it appears to have been an accident.
Our Pompano Beach accident lawyers understand that children are some of the most vulnerable pedestrians out there. Because they’ve never been behind the wheel of a car and because they’re so young, they are at increased risk of being involved in a serious or fatal pedestrian accident. Parking lots increase those risks.
It’s parents’ responsibility to make sure that these children are always supervised around vehicular traffic. It’s also a good idea to talk with them about safe walking tips to make sure that they are safe and understand the dangers if you might happen to turn your head.
According to SafeKids USA, there were more than 240 kids under the age of 14 who were killed in pedestrian accidents in 2009 in the United States. Since 2001, there has been an average of close to 20,000 kids injured in pedestrian accidents each and every year. The truth of the matter is that the maturity level of a kid who is under the age of 10 makes him or her less able to correctly gauge road dangers and renders him or her at greater risk for injury and death.
Who is most at risk for these accidents?
-Close to 70 percent of child pedestrian fatalities happen to males.
-Kids who live in low-income neighborhoods are more likely to be involved in a pedestrian accident.
-There were more than 100 kids under the age of 4 killed in backover accidents in 2007.
-About 80 percent of driveway-related accidents happen to kids under the age of 4.
-Single parents and younger mothers are more likely to have a child involved in a pedestrian accident.
Parents are asked to always keep an eye on young pedestrians near vehicular traffic. It’s also important that you talk with your kid about the dangers of cars. Teach them to stay away from traffic and to keep their eyes on their surroundings at all times. These kinds of accidents can be prevented, it just takes a little concern, awareness and education.
Contact the South Florida injury attorneys at Freeman & Mallard for a free and confidential review of your case. Call 1-800-561-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Red-Light Runners and Pedestrian Accidents: Commonly Connected, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, August 9, 2012
Distracted Pedestrians in Danger of Accidents in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, August 1, 2012