Motorists, parents can keep kids safe as they head back to school

Denver, August 16-As more than 800,000 K-12 students return to school around the state, AAA Colorado urges both motorists and parents to work together to keep youth safe.

Pedestrian injury is the second leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children ages 5 to 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Motorists need to pay close attention to the increased number of children returning to school, and parents must teach children safe walking habits," says Wave Dreher, AAA Colorado's Traffic Safety Specialist. "We all share the road, and are all responsible for keeping pedestrians and motorists safe."

Some key tips for motorists include:

• Slow down in or near school or residential areas and be sure to come to a complete stop at all intersections.
• Look for clues such as crossing guards, bicycles and playgrounds which indicate children could be in the area.
• Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs that children could dart into the road.
• Always stop for school buses that are loading and unloading students. It's the law.
• Leave a little early so you are not rushed as you travel to work or school.
• Drive with your headlights on-even during the day-so children and other drivers can see you.

Safe walking tips for parents include:

• Young children should be accompanied by an adult, older children should walk with a buddy.
• Involve children in selecting the safest route to school/home. Take a practice walk with your children along the route so they become familiar with it.
• Teach children to stop, listen and look for approaching and turning vehicles.
• Discuss the use of crosswalks, and why it's safer to cross at some corners rather than others.
• Discuss the meanings of traffic signals and markings along the route.
• Teach children that it's important to cooperate with police, school safety patrols and adult crossing guards.
• Set a good example for children - their actions and attitudes are modeled after their parents.

These and other traffic safety tips, interactive games and information for parents and children can be found on the internet at www.ottoclub.org.

AAA Colorado has more than 525,000 members in Colorado and is an advocate for safety and security for all travelers. As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides nearly 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services, as well as member-exclusive savings. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.