Slowing Down Can Prevent Suburban Pedestrian Accidents

Whether you live in PG County, Montgomery County, Arlington or Alexandria, chances are that your neighborhood is just minutes from the Beltway, 95, 301, 270 or another major highway. These roads have high speed limits that allow Washington area residents to complete long commutes. Unfortunately, drivers often forget to slow down once they leave the highway.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, fatal pedestrian accidents are most likely to occur in residential neighborhoods. In February, 39-year-old Jennifer Lawson parked her minivan across from Nottingham Elementary School on Little Falls Road in Arlington. She was getting her baby out of the vehicle when she was hit by a speeding truck. The baby was unharmed, but Ms. Lawson died from her injuries.

The eighth annual “Keep Kids Alive, Drive 25” Day will be observed on May 1. The purpose of the campaign is to prevent pedestrian accident deaths in residential neighborhoods. We’d like to remind suburban drivers to slow down and pay attention while driving. Since speeders are three times more likely to be an accident than drivers who drive the speed limit, this makes our neighborhoods safer for both kids and adults.

Seven Ways You Can Keep Kids Safe In Your Suburban Neighborhood

1. Set limits for your child. Never let your child play in the street, even if you live at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.
2. Know where your child is. Children under the age of seven should be supervised when playing outside. Make sure older children check in on a regular basis.
3. Teach your child to cross safely. Don’t let your child cross streets alone until the age of ten.
4. Don’t allow your child to ride a bike without a helmet.
5. Avoid driving while distracted. Put your phone away while behind the wheel.
6. Slow down. A pedestrian is three times more likely to die in an accident involving a car traveling 30 miles per hour than in an accident where the car is traveling 25 m.p.h.
7. Follow all rules of the road.

Help the attorneys at Lewis & Tompkins raise awareness of neighborhood pedestrian accidents by sharing this article with your family and friends using Facebook or Twitter. Thank you.