With the return of warm weather and longer days, more children will be walking home from school and playing outside in the afternoon. As a driver, it is your responsibility to watch out for children and take caution to avoid injury.
Slow Down Near Schools And Parks
When driving near a school or park, where children are likely to be, make sure you obey all traffic signs. Slow down to the posted speed, even if you don't see any children present.
If you notice any children, keep an eye on them as you drive past. Young children do not necessarily understand the risk that moving vehicles present, and it is your duty to watch out for them.
Most states expect drivers to exercise the same amount of care that an ordinary person would exercise. That means that if the majority of people slow down and exercise additional caution near schools, parks and in neighborhoods, you should too.
Drive With Care
If you see a child approaching the road, it is your duty to do everything in your power to avoid hitting that child.
That includes:
Respond Responsibly
If you injury a child while driving a vehicle, you need to respond in the same way you would to an ordinary vehicle accident.
You need to stop your vehicle. If the child is injured, you need to call 911 or flag someone down to call 911.
If a parent is present, you need to provide them with your insurance and contact information. If a parent is not present, you need to provide this information to the paramedics that respond to the scene or to the police officers that respond to the scene.
If you fail to stop and address the situation, you could face criminal charges for fleeing the scene of an accident.
Determining Fault
If you were at fault for the accident, your insurance should provide you with the coverage you need. However, you could find yourself facing criminal charges or a personal injury lawsuit from the child's family down the road.
The smart thing to do if you injure a child while driving is to contact an attorney (such as one from Chiacchia & Fleming LLP) right away. Your attorney can help you build your defense and show that you were exercising responsible care and caution. This is easier to do if you contact an attorney immediately after the accident. That way, your attorney can instruct you on what evidence and information you may want to collect at the scene.
Share17 April 2015
When I was a child, my father was the pastor of a small evangelical church in my hometown. I always enjoyed going to church in order to play with my friends. One of these friends suffered a horrific accident at a local gas station one day. As he was walking towards the entrance to the gas station, he was struck by a vehicle. His leg was seriously injured during the accident. To help with the expenses of recovery, his father hired an accident and personal injury attorney. This professional helped my friend’s father sue the person who struck his son. On this blog, you will discover the advantages of hiring an accident and personal injury attorney after incurring injuries from a devastating accident.