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CHILDREN AND TRAFFIC SAFETY

Each year, the Phoenix Fire Department responds to thousands of emergencies involving pedestrians. In fact, Phoenix has one of the highest death rates involving pedestrians in the country. Traffic related incidents account for more than one-third of the fatalities in children under 14 years of age. According the Department of Transportation, more than 1,000 children die each year as pedestrians.

A common myth is that pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way. Pedestrians have the right of way on sidewalks and designated pedestrian crossings with signals. Many pedestrian-vehicle incidents are the fault of the pedestrian. It is important for children and adults to learn safe pedestrian skills.

Knowing the correct way to walk near traffic and how to cross the street is vital to a person's health and well-being. With adult supervision, a child's ability to deal with traffic can improve dramatically.

Several factors make children susceptible to car/pedestrian incidents. Among them, children:

• Have a lower profile in traffic
  
• Have a narrower field of view
  
• Cannot detect the direction of sound
  
• Cannot accurately judge the approach of vehicles
  
• Once in motion, like to stay in motion
  
• Mix fantasy with reality
  
• Often only concentrate on one thought at a time
  
• Are restless

The most common cause of pedestrian incidents involving children occur when they dash out into the street at a mid-block, for example, to chase a ball, or when they run through an intersection.

Each year the Phoenix Fire Department responds to thousands of incidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles and diesel trucks. Most of these involve collisions at the intersections of large surface streets. Phoenix has one of the highest vehicle crash rates in the country.

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