Fall has always been back-to-school season. Usually, in late August or early September, we take some time to remind drivers to be aware of students as they head back to school. But 2020 is unlike any previous year.
Massachusetts started the 2020-2021 school session with students learning remotely from home and planned to bring students back gradually starting in October. This means that weekday mornings and afternoons aren't full of students walking to and from school or getting on and off school buses.
However, the coronavirus has not put an end to pedestrian dangers for children, and we still need to be vigilant to keep them safe.
Kids May Be Out on the Streets More Than Ever
With most kids not attending school in person in Massachusetts, you have to be more aware than ever of them crossing the street or chasing a ball in front of your car. In fact, children of all ages are probably more at risk of being hit by a car than ever for the following reasons:
- Less supervision. If you have kids, you know how hard it is to supervise their online school while holding down your own job. For some parents, it’s impossible to do both. As a result, children around Framingham and in other communities are often unsupervised and might be riding a skateboard down the middle of the street or walking to a basketball court with a group of friends, ignoring traffic rules. It's up to drivers to be on the lookout for these kids.
- Not taking public transportation. Some children have returned to school but may not have access to transportation in the same way they did before. They could be walking to and from school in the darkness of early morning or evening. Motorists might not expect anyone to be going to school and miss looking out for them on their commutes to and from work.
- More playing outside. As one potential positive thing to come out of the pandemic, kids seem to have more time to be kids. With fewer structured activities, more young ones are playing outside, riding their bikes, and going to playgrounds. However, they're often unsupervised and might not use crosswalks or look out for cars when they should be. Drivers have to be careful to avoid hitting these kids, especially at dusk.
Contact Our Framingham Personal Injury Attorneys Today
At Mahaney & Pappas, LLP, our personal injury attorneys represent children injured in collisions with negligent drivers. If your child was hit by a car, you shouldn't have to worry about how you will pay their medical bills. Contact our team to find out how you can hold the driver who hit your child responsible for compensating them.
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