KIDS: Hold on tight

When in parking lots with children, PLEASE hold their hand.

I frequently encounter small kids darting behind my car. Didn’t I see them in the backup camera? Rarely. The lens gets dirty fast. Some vehicles have tiny screens on the dash, usually blurry. I actually usually still turn around and look when backing.

Adults simply don’t look anymore for vehicles backing out. What changed? We used to:

• Watch for cars backing up.

• Have hold of our kids or have them in a basket or stroller.

• Some drivers gave a little toot of the horn when backing.

From KidsandCars.org: (partial copy)

In the U.S., 50 children are backed over EVERY WEEK because a driver could not see them.

Contributing factors:

You cannot avoid hitting something you literally cannot see.

Most drivers are unaware of the very large, dangerous blind zone found in ALL vehicles.

Children do not understand the danger of a slow moving vehicle; they believe if they see the vehicle, the driver can see them.

Children do not recognize boundaries (property lines, sidewalks, driveways or parking spaces) and are very impulsive.

The predominant age of back-over victims is 1 years old (12-23 months). Toddlers have just started walking/running at this age, testing limits and trying new things.

Children younger than 5 are at the most risk, but children of all ages can be backed over.

What I experience consistently is parents not looking AT ALL. Please hold their hand, have them in a stroller or in your shopping cart. Keep them safe.

ELAINE BECK

Hayden