1/3 of child pedestrian fatalities occur after school hours Campaign aims to curb unsafe driving in school zones, neighborhoods

As 55 million children across the country begin heading back to school, AAA urges motorists to slow down and stay alert in neighborhoods and school zones, and to be especially vigilant for pedestrians during before- and after-school hours. The afternoon hours are particularly dangerous for walking children - over the last decade, nearly one-third of child pedestrian fatalities occurred between 3 and 7 p.m.

“We are aware of the risk to children in and around school zones, and that’s why we developed AAA’s School’s Open – Drive Carefully awareness campaign to help curb unsafe driving behavior near schools,” says Sasha Marcinczyk, Georgia Field Vice President, AAA-The Auto Club Group. “If Georgia motorists slow down and stay alert, they can save lives.”

AAA’s School’s Open Drive Carefully awareness campaign was launched in 1946 in an effort to prevent schoolrelated child pedestrian traffic crashes - helping kids to live fulfilling, injury-free lives.

AAA offers seven ways to keep kids safe this school year:

1.Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster. A difference between 25 mph and 35 mph can save a life.

2.Eliminate distractions. Children often cross the road unexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.

3.Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles— even those that are parked.

4.Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and more than one-quarter of fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m. Get evidencebased guidance and tips at TeenDriving.AAA.com.

5.Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.

6.Watch for bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicycle. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that they wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride. Find videos, expert advice and safety tips at ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.

7.Look for AAA School Safety Patrollers - Nationwide, more than 654,000 AAA School Safety Patrollers stand guard at 34,500 schools. When you see one, a school zone is likely nearby.

“If parents and other drivers follow these simple rules when driving in and near schools zones, countless children can avoid injury and death,” continues Marcinczyk “It’s up to us to help all drivers become more aware of the risks of driving around our schools.”