School's Open - Drive Carefully, AAA Washington Urges
24 August 1999
School's Open - Drive Carefully, AAA Washington Urges
BELLEVUE, Wash., Aug. 23 -- In just a few days, sidewalks,
school bus stops and roads once again will be filled with children walking and
biking to school. With this comes the added responsibility of drivers to pay
more attention to their surroundings.
"Because most school-aged pedestrian fatalities occur between 3 p.m. and
4 p.m., we are urging people, especially parents who are dropping off and
picking up their children at school, to pay extra attention when driving in
school zones to avoid a serious incident," said Janet Ray, Director of
Corporate Communications at AAA Washington.
"Youngsters are particularly vulnerable to being struck by a vehicle because
their actions are impulsive and they are harder to see," said Ray. "Driving
always demands our full attention, especially in school zones, so avoid
distracting activities such as talking on a cell phone or eating."
AAA Washington offers these tips for drivers:
* Get in the habit now of recognizing school zones on your route
* Look for bicycles, children playing, or AAA School Safety Patrol
members, which indicate children nearby
* Scan between parked vehicles and other danger zones for hard to see
children
* Drive with headlights on at all times so children and other drivers can
see you
* Be prepared to take evasive action immediately
* Avoid using cell phones while driving, especially during the hours
before and after school
AAA Washington provides more than 615,000 members in western and central
Washington a full range of products and benefits, including full-service
travel agencies and personal lines insurance agencies in each of its
13 service centers; a range of auto-related services; a variety of financial
products, and member discounts on many consumer products and services.
Although its travel and insurance agencies are available to the general
public, AAA members benefit additionally from many special discounts and
exclusive programs. A not-for-profit organization, AAA Washington also
assists travelers through its highway and transportation safety and
legislative advocacy programs. More information about AAA Washington is
available on the company's website at http://www.aaawa.com.
AAA Washington School's Open - Drive Carefully
Fact Sheet
* In 1997, there were nearly 58 million children under 15 years old in the
United States. This age group made up 22 percent of the total U.S.
population.
* A total of 5,307 pedestrians were killed in collisions with motor
vehicles in 1997. Children 0-14 years old accounted for 644 (12 percent) of
those fatalities.
* A total of 77,000 pedestrians were injured in collisions with motor
vehicles in 1997. Children 0-14 years old accounted for 26,000 (34 percent)
of those injuries.
* A total of 813 bicyclists were killed in collisions with motor vehicles
in 1997. Children 0-14 years old accounted for 232 (29 percent) of those
fatalities.
* A total of 58,000 bicyclists were injured in collisions with motor
vehicles in 1997. Children 0-14 years old accounted for 24,000 (41 percent)
of those injuries.
* 40 percent of all young pedestrian fatalities (ages 15 and under) are
between 4 and 8 p.m., with the highest incidence at about 4 p.m.
* The vast majority of child pedestrian fatalities (83 percent) occur at
non-intersection locations.
* More school-age pedestrians are killed in the afternoon than in the
morning, with 43 percent of fatalities occurring between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
* Approximately 500,000 students serve on their local AAA School Safety
Patrol each year. More than 50,000 schools have safety patrols, representing
nearly 76 percent of the communities in the United States. Millions of people
have served as safety patrol members in the U.S. and in 30 other nations.
SOURCE: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 1997 Report
CONTACT: Janet Ray, Staff Writer, 425-646-2058, or Jennifer Harbison,
Communications Specialist, 425-646-2055, both of AAA Washington.