TULSA, Okla. — In just the last couple of weeks two children in the Tulsa area have been critically injured in accidents while walking and biking.
With the holiday weekend approaching, warmer weather, and no school, more and more kids will be outside playing, but summer can also be a dangerous time for little ones.
“Summer time unfortunately is known as the deadliest 90 days,” said Beth Washington with Safe Kids Tulsa.
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, in the U.S. in 2019 pedestrian accidents involving children resulted in 7 fatalities and nearly 300 injuries of varying degrees a week.
With that said, Safe Kids Coordinator Beth Washington says drivers especially in neighborhoods should slow down, be vigilant and stay away from distractions like radios and phones.
“When you’re out driving, think about your grand kids or your child that’s out there or a niece or nephew that could be playing out there. You would hope and want other drivers to pay attention,” she said.
As for parents, Washington says they should be watching their kids and talking to them about safety, rules of the road and dangers. Even if you did last summer she says parents should do it again.
“We need to teach them to cross the street at crosswalks. We need to tell them to look left right left,” Washington said. “Let them know the dangers of walking in the middle of the street and not walking on the side walk or dashing out in the middle of the road.”
In the two most recent accidents in the Tulsa area, an Owasso toddler was hit after running out into the street and in Tulsa, a girl was hit while riding her bike. A GoFundMe for that girl says she is still in a coma.
“It breaks my heart when I hear about injures or even deaths to children because these types of injuries are preventable by teaching and educating our kids how to be safe,” she said.
It’s also important for kids to wear bright-colored clothes, reflectors and a helmet.
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