COLUMBUS – As the school year resumes, transportation officials are concerned about a rise in fatal pedestrian-involved accident, especially those involving children.
Pedestrian fatalities are on the rise in Ohio, soaring to 140 last year, which is nearly 26 percent higher than the five-year average during the years 2012-2016, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
About 600 crashes per year during that period involved pedestrians 18 years old or younger, resulting in 45 deaths, ODOT reported. Last year, 11 pedestrians age 18 or young were killed.
The auto club AAA says this is the time of year when drivers should remember to be extra careful as children head back to school, increasing pedestrian traffic in school zones and in residential neighborhoods.
Data from ODOT shows crashes involving young pedestrians spike in the morning and afternoon, as children walk to and from school, with 3:00 p.m. standing out as the peak time and Thursday and Friday proving to be especially dangerous.
The auto club offers tips for motorists to reduce the number of accident involving children:
Slow down: A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 25 mph is about two-thirds less likely to be killed than a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 35 mph.
Eliminate distractions
Come to a complete stop: Studies show that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods.
Give yourself extra time by leaving early or modify your routes to avoid school zones and traffic
Now in its 97th year, AAA School Safety Patrol is almost older than the automobile. More than 654,000 students work to keep classmates safe at 34,500 schools across the country.