Seattle Pedestrians and Bicyclists

This is an exciting time of year. All across the country, kids, teachers, and administrators have already begun going back to school. However, with this change in season comes an increased risk of an accident. This is especially true as we move into the colder months of the year. In winter, the days become so short that most school drop-offs occur while it is still dark outside.

As school parking lots fill with cars, bikes, and pedestrians, we must all take extra precautions to ensure that the morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up is not marred by a preventable accident.

Mitigating the risk

The National Safety Council (NSC) shares some safety tips for the morning commute, no matter how you and your child get to work or school in the morning.

For pedestrians:

  • Always walk on the sidewalk, never in the road.
  • Stay off your phone while you walk and refrain from wearing headphones. Keep your eyes focused on what is ahead of you.
  • Look both ways before you cross the street.

For bicyclists:

  • Get the right gear. Make sure your bike helmet, lights, and any other safety gear fits and works well.
  • Wear bright clothing and place reflective stickers on the back of helmets and backpacks.
  • Watch for cars, especially when you get close to a school, where cars are more likely to stop quickly or open a door suddenly.

For drivers:

  • Do not block the sidewalks.
  • Do not pass a vehicle if it has stopped for pedestrians.
  • Do not pass a school bus while it is loading or unloading children.
  • Check and then check again before you back up, especially if visibility is limited. Back up slowly to avoid a collision.

The dedicated legal team at Aaron Engle Law know that this is a wonderful and exciting time of year. By taking these and other simple precautions in the morning and afternoon, we can all ensure a strong start to another new school year. Washington pedestrian accident lawyers have seen all too often how quickly a morning commute can change the rest of your life; these crashes often result in severe injuries such as brain injuries. If you or a loved one were injured on the way to school, contact us today. When the worst happens, you need a strong legal team in your corner.