Distracted pedestrians as well as distracted drivers
Posted Aug 29, 2011 12:42 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
On Thursday, the province’s new distracted driver’s law comes into effect, coincidentally at the same time that school-aged children in Calgary head back to classrooms.
Safe Kids Canada says it’s not just drivers that become distracted while roaming city streets.
“Because the school season is about to begin, it’s a great time for parents to review with their kids — not only the route to school — but also to discuss safe cell phone use while they’re walking to school and walking home,” Safe Kids Canada’s Kristen Gane tells 660News.
She notes children talking, texting or listening to music are three times more likely to be hit by a vehicle, especially during afternoon hours.
“If children are distracted, they’re on their cell phones, they’re not going to be able to listen carefully and put their full attention to the on-going traffic,” adds Gane. “So it’s very important that this message get across to both parents and children.”
Every year 30 Canadian children under the age of 14 are killed by cars, with another 24 hundred seriously injured.
“Research has shown that children who talk on cell phones while they are crossing the street are one-third more likely to be hit, or nearly hit, by a vehicle,” says Gane, noting that most accidents occur between 3pm and 6pm. “So this is a significant difference between using a cell phone and not using a cell phone while crossing. It just makes sense.”
She says a recent survey found while 90 per cent of parents review basic pedestrian safety practices with their children, less than 30 per cent discuss the possible risks of using a cellphone or other portable electronic devices.
