Back To School Safety: How To Protect Children And Prevent Car Accidents In Bradenton

The summer is over in Bradenton, and many parents are busy getting their children ready for back to school. While getting your children the supplies and equipment they need is important, the top priority is protecting their safety. Car accidents pose serious threats whether your children walk, take the bus, bike, or get rides to school. Our Bradenton car accident lawyer offers safety tips that can help reduce the risks.

Reduce Car Accident Risks For Returning Students

Students attending classes in the Manatee County School District headed back on August 10, 2023. Parents will be busy making preparations. In addition to shopping and reviewing class schedules, take some time now to review basic safety precautions.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, close to 6,000 car accidents in Manatee County happen each year. This is in addition to the high number of bicycle and pedestrian accidents. All pose serious risks for children heading back to school. To keep them safe, follow these tips:

For Children Who Walk To School 

• Review routes in advance;
• Choose areas with sidewalks and crossing guards at intersections;
• Encourage children to wear light, bright clothing to increase visibility;
• Advise them to never assume a driver sees them or will stop;
• Accompany young children and have older ones walk in groups of two or more.

For Children Who Bike To School

• Make sure their bike is properly maintained and in good working order;
• Find routes along less heavily traveled areas;
• Use reflectors on their bike to increase visibility;
• Advise students to follow traffic patterns;
• Teach them hand signals so they can communicate with motorists.

For Children Who Are Driven To School

• Be aware that driving children to school poses the biggest risks;
• Get instructions from the school on drop-off and pick-up locations;
• Avoid dropping children anywhere but at designated locations;
• Pay attention to what is going on around you in school zones and be alert for children stepping into the road;
• Reduce your speed and allow plenty of time for making the trip.

For Children Who Take the Bus

• Instruct them to stick to sidewalks on the way to the bus stop;
• Make sure they wait at least three feet from the curb;
• Encourage them to avoid rushing when boarding;
• As a driver, avoid tailgating, improper passing, and other dangerous behavior;
• Stop completely when buses are boarding or unloading, and keep a close eye out for children in the area.

Request A Consultation With Our Bradenton Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Car accidents in Bradenton often increase as children head back to school and can impact students, whether they walk, bike, take the bus, or get driven to school. At the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely, we help families of victims hold those at fault accountable and get the compensation their child needs to recover. Call or contact our Bradenton car accident lawyer online and request a consultation today.

Sources:

manateeschools.net/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=2276&dataid=35200&FileName=2023-2024_AcademicCalendar_121421_ENG.pdf

flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2020.pdf