More than half of serious road accidents to children occur between 3pm and 7pm, according to the *Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT).
CAPT says the peak in child road deaths and injuries is linked to the after-school rush, and that there are more serious and fatal injuries to school-age pedestrians in the afternoon and early evening than at any other time of day.
CAPT also says children are more than twice as likely to suffer a serious burn between 3pm and 6pm as they are during the morning.
The findings were published at the launch of Child Safety Week 2015 (1-7 June), a national campaign run by CAPT to make families aware of the serious accident risks to children and the simple steps they can take to prevent them.
Katrina Phillips, chief executive of CAPT, said: “Parents are up against it to get everyone home, tea on the table, clothes ironed and tired children into the bath. It’s hardly surprising safety measures get missed.
“But these can be devastating injuries. A hot drink can scar a baby for life. A child can suffer brain damage if hit by a car.
“Simple changes to teatime routines can protect children from serious harm – whether that’s putting your mug of tea out of reach or practising road safety on the walk home from school.”
*The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) is the UK’s leading charity working to reduce the number of children and young people killed, disabled or seriously injured in accidents.
Sorry for presuming but by my own observations the greatest danger is the unsupervised child whether in the home or out on the streets. There is no doubt in my mind that some parents have little concern or indeed encourage children to play out, understanding that it may be on the road. I have seen very young children aged 4 years or similar playing out by themselves not under any supervision at all. I have seen children walking home from school some yards away from adults and closer to the pavement edge and not holding a parents hand.
There are little safe playing places nowadays as many streets are overcrowded with parked cars. This totally blanks off the vision to and of small children to any oncoming vehicles and also reduces the direction of the sound an approaching motor vehicle makes.
Until all residential streets get the 20 mph limit I would like to see many more drivers encouraged to travel at much slower speeds on residential streets. Even 20 mph would be too fast, I travel at 10 to 15 mph on my motorcycle as so many surprising things can happen on a residential street.
Bob craven Lancs….. Space is Safe Campaigner.
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