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If there is one thing I know about myself, it’s that I am not the most coordinated person. I know this because I ran cross-country in high school, and I still have the scars to prove it. Even the smallest branch or bump in the road used to be enough to bring me tumbling to the ground in spectacular fashion.
Every hour of every day, a teen pedestrian is killed or injured in the U.S.
Washington, D.C.– New research released today from Safe Kids Worldwide revealed alarming news: 40 percent of teens have been hit or nearly hit by a car, bike or motorcycle while walking.
The report, “Teens on the Move” made possible with support from FedEx®, explores walking behaviors of 1,040 teens ages 13 to 19.
It is a great honor that two of our PSAs, “Moment of Silence” and “Bubble Wrap,” won 2014 Telly Awards, one of the premier awards honoring the finest in film and video production. We are thrilled to be recognized at this level, because it helps bring more attention to the issue of child injury prevention.
Both videos were created by Safe Kids’ video director Kris Hixson, whose vision helped make each project a success.
I always enjoyed a good walk. As a kid, my mom, my brother and I loved taking walks together. It didn’t matter where we would go because it was our time to bond and catch up. It was also a time to learn pedestrian etiquette. Rules, such as paying attention to my surroundings while crossing the street, were ingrained in me. I had been doing this for so long that I had become a pro, or so I thought.
One of the most interesting aspects of working at Safe Kids is that we get to play “detective.” If we see a statistic we find alarming, like that every hour of every day a teen is hit by a car and killed or injured in the U.S., we get to try to figure out the five W’s, who, what, where, when and why. Last year, we discovered that the pedestrian death rate for teens is twice that of younger children, so we enlisted our coalitions to go to schools and observe what teenagers were doing that could cause these deaths.
Today Show reports on our latest research report: “Teens on the Move." We asked students about their own walking habits and what their peers do. Forty percent of teens told us they had been hit or almost hit by a car. Half of teens surveyed told us they text while walking.
Every October, schools across the globe celebrate International Walk to School Day. Safe Kids is teaming up with FedEx for the 15th year to host events on October 8 that will teach children how to walk to school safely.
In honor of these great events, we’ve developed some information for you and your family to use to help your kids stay safe while walking. It only takes a few minutes today, on International Walk to School Day, or any day throughout the year, to teach your kids how to walk safely.
If you have ever lived in or experienced city life, you know that there are other alternatives to owning a car. When I was younger, between the ages of 6 and 14, I was lucky enough to live in Paris, France. Needless to say, Paris is a busy city and many people walk to get where they are going.
My 15-year-old son recently got his learner’s permit.
The other day, he was practicing in our neighborhood when he approached a speed bump. The speed bumps in my neighborhood have gaps on each side where you can easily fit a tire. So basically, if your car straddles the center of the road, you can drive straight through without going over the bump part – a convenience I might have used once or twice.
Slowly, my son started to slide the car over so the wheels would fit through the gaps.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “You can’t use those.”
Real life (if somewhat shameful) stories about raising Winston
I never imagined the level of deception that would be involved in parenting. I knew my husband and I would fully support Santa, the Easter bunny, and the tooth fairy.
What I didn't expect were the small dishonesties that help us get through the day.