Traffic safety facts
- More pedestrians were killed in 2018 in Lexington than any year since the city started tracking the numbers in 1996.
- Distracted driving crashes kill an average of 9 people and injure another 1,000 every day in America.
- In 2018, five children were killed over the course of just three days in school bus stop-related incidents nationwide.
- School zone speed limits are in place to save lives. Motorists need to be especially vigilant during the morning and afternoon hours when schoolchildren are walking to and from school.
- According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at a reduced school zone speed of 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
Tips from AAA to help keep kids safe
- Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
- Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
- Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chance of crashing. In addition, children can be quick, crossing the road unexpectedly or emerging suddenly between two parked cars. Reduce risk by not using your cell phone or eating while driving, for example.
- Reverse responsibility. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, in the driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles.
- Watch for bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that he or she wear a properly fitted helmet on every ride. Find videos, expert advice and safety tips at ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.
- Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in country, and nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Get evidence-based guidance and tips at TeenDriving.AAA.com.
About the campaign
AAA’s School’s Open – Drive Carefully campaign launched nationally in 1946 to help reduce the number of school-related pedestrian injuries and fatalities; 73 years later, AAA clubs across the country continue to promote the campaign each fall to remind motorists to watch out for children as they travel to and from school.
During the month of August, AAA Blue Grass will continue to engage local media with traffic safety messaging as well as join our community partners in participating in walk-to-school day and other events geared toward raising awareness of child pedestrian safety as children return to the classroom.
Additional Resources
- School’s Open, Drive Carefully: https://exchange.aaa.com/safety/child-safety/schools-open-drive-carefully/#.W1CwIiErJQI
- Pedestrian Safety: https://exchange.aaa.com/safety/pedestrian-safety/#.W1CxSyErJQI
- Teen Driver Safety: http://teendriving.aaa.com/KY/getting-ready/
