A Little Lesson for the Adults--Follow These Top 7 Rules to Avoid Causing a Child Injury Accident in a School Zone
The morning and afternoon commute to and from school can be dangerous for a child pedestrian or the adult driver if either of them fail to pay attention. This will become more important when the winter rain season arrives in San Diego and Southern California. Roads will be less visible and slippery, so it will be important to take extra caution. If you are not paying attention while you are driving your car near a school zone, a child can be seriously injured and you will be held responsible for their injuries—not to mention having to live with the accompanying guilt of having injured a child.
Our San Diego child injury law firm has compiled the top 7 ways to drive safer in school zones to avoid injuring a child just trying to go to and from school. If you follow these rules, you will be far less likely to cause an accident:
1. Be sure to follow ALL rules in indicated school zones, especially during school hours. Children often use less caution than we do and are likely to run into the street, especially in neighborhood areas. If kids are not paying attention or paying as much attention as they should, it falls on you as the adult driver to take extra precaution.
2. Make sure to always make complete stops when you are in school zones. Rolling stops or “California stops” do not allow drivers the opportunity to fully survey the traffic near the school zone for hazards and danger. By making a complete stop, you have the opportunity to have extra time to look for small children using the intersection or crosswalk.
3. Absolutely no cell phone use when you are in a school zone. Not only is it against the law in California, but it has been proven that drivers are less attentive when they are using cell phones while driving. If you must take an important call when you are driving in a school zone, make sure you use a hands-free Bluetooth device.
4. Do not pass busses when their lights are flashing. Not only is it against the law in California, but you will likely find children entering and exiting the bus in this area.
5. You should always assume that a child cannot see you while you are driving. You should think this way even if you think that a child can see you, because children are often not paying attention to their surroundings. The common expression is “children act like they are in their own little world”—which is true. They do not always pay attention when they should.
6. Make sure you are especially careful in the morning and afternoons. These are the times when children are either coming or leaving school, so there will be a higher concentration of children in the area. If there are more children in a school zone, then there is obviously a greater chance of an injury accident occurring.
7. Prevent road rage by arriving early. By arriving to the school early, you will be less likely to be impatient and drive aggressively. Driving in a rush leads to more accidents.
Please remember to follow these 7 rules. School zones can be an especially dangerous place if drivers are not paying attention. Not only are the penalties increased if motorists violate traffic laws in a school zone, but at-fault drivers will be held liable if a child is hurt. Remember that drivers in school zones are held to a higher standard because they are put on notice that they are driving in an area with a high concentration of children.
The San Diego personal injury lawyers at the Jurewitz Law Group handle personal injury claims, especially car accident claims, involving children. If your child has been hurt in an injury accident, particularly one in a school zone, please call our office at 888-233-5020 to meet with one of our attorneys for a free consultation.
Have you been injured in an accident in San Diego or anywhere in California and don't know what to do next? We are here to help and provide you with the important and relevant information you need to make an informed decision about:
- How to handle your personal injury claim
- Who is the right injury accident attorney to help you with your case, and
- Whether you even need to hire a lawyer to help you with your insurance claim
Call the Jurewitz Law Group at 888-233-5020 to order one of our free California personal injury books to get the information you need or to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced San Diego personal injury attorneys.
