In today’s fast-paced digital age, smartphones have become a significant concern when it comes to road safety. This applies to every road user, driver and pedestrian, but one particularly vulnerable group is children.
It’s no secret that today’s youth are glued to their phones. Research shows that by the age of 8 to 11, 55 percent of children own a mobile phone and this figure increases exponentially to 97 percent by 12 years old. This can have disastrous consequences when they aren’t educated about road safety and become sidetracked at road crossings.
Shocking statistics regarding smartphones and road accidents have led to the launch of a campaign that aims to address a troubling trend – a quarter of children are distracted by their phones when crossing the road.
Disturbing statistics
Every 16 minutes someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads, with children under the age of 16 being amongst the most vulnerable groups on the road. Road traffic accidents are one of the leading reasons why young people die.
Smartphones are further putting children in danger. Studies have found that 21 percent of 11-year-olds and 25 percent of 12-year-olds are paying more attention to their phones than their surroundings when crossing the road.
What is being done?
In light of these shocking statistics, First News newspaper for young people has launched the Look Up! campaign to raise awareness about this issue. By collecting statistics from various studies and bringing together real-life accounts, First News makes the undeniable case that schools need to do more for children’s road safety.
The campaign encourages schools and colleges to hold assemblies that remind children of the dangers of being distracted on the road. They even created a free Look Up! assembly pack to aid teachers in educating young people.
Bolt Burdon Kemp has released four main tips on how to encourage safer road behaviour in our children when crossing roads:
1. Encourage children to stay alert and avoid using their devices when at road crossings
2. If they do need to use their phones, advise them to stop in a safe area away from the road
3. Recommend avoiding noise-cancelling headphones when walking along roads
4. Make sure children are visible to other road users by wearing bright and colourful clothing
Pedestrian responsibility
Legally, car drivers must be reasonably careful, exercise common sense and be armed with experience of how pedestrians act when travelling on public roads. However, all pedestrians, including children, are expected to take reasonable care of their own safety.
Much of road safety comes down to common sense and involves keeping your wits about you when making a crossing. Pedestrians should always stop, look and listen when crossing the road and always use the footpaths if available.
Sometimes, you can do everything you can to avoid a road collision and still, it isn’t enough. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, you could have the chance of receiving compensation by starting personal injury claims with specialised solicitors.
Educating children on the dangers of becoming distracted by their smartphones on the road is essential to keeping them safe. Schools and parents need to be proactive about cautioning them about the risks of using smartphones while at road crossings.
