Did you know that 500 kids die EACH DAY from something that is totally preventable? It’s hard to believe that isn’t front page news, isn’t it? But it’s true. Every day 500 kids die in traffic crashes – most of which could be prevented by the drivers involved. (And this is not even counting the thousands who are injured.)
I’m proud to be partnering with Scholastic and Safe Kids Worldwide to bring you information and action steps that you can take to help keep children safe while on the road. For more information about this program, be sure to check out the Save Kids Lives website for parents. (For my fellow educators – there is a page just for you as well. Check out the lesson plans for grades 3 – 8.)
Do you feel as strongly about this as I do? There are a few things you can easily do right now to help spread the message and make others aware.
1) Head over and read the Child Declaration for Global Road Safety. Once you are done reading it, sign it. By signing it you are encouraging world leaders to make child safety on the roads a priority. Share the link with your friends and family and explain why you feel this is an important issue.
2) Create a family #Safie (like a selfie, but focusing on safety). You can download a template here to use in your picture. Upload your #Safie to your social media account – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, send it via Snapchat to your friends and encourage them to do the same.
3) The Child Declaration for Global Road Safety and #Safies will be delivered to key policy makers during the Third UN Global Safety Week in May 2015. If we all work together, we can speak out for the children who have no voice . We can advocate for safer transportation, slower speeds where children are present, and tougher penalties for those who break the law.
I love this. My neighborhood is filled with kids whose parents need to read this. There are kids just playing in the street everyday.
I drive like an 85 year old when my kids are in the car. I am a good driver, but it;s the other people I have to watch out for.
Wow, those are high numbers. I think it’s important to keep kids in car seats as long as possible. Seatbelts are also an obvious must.
This is great! I do my best to teach by my actions, and road safety is extremely important. It’s terrible the number of children who are injured when it was from something completely preventable.
This is super important. With all the new handheld technology everyone has, you have to be very careful driving.
Oh my goodness, I feel so strongly about this. I pass cars with kids with not in seat belts and I feel like screaming at them.
I always remind my kids how dangerous cars can be. It’s so scary.
Check the kids seat belts is one of the first things I do before we leave or drive! It makes me so mad all the lives lost unnecessarily like this!
500 a day! that number sounds insane! my oldest of three is just 4 and I am trying to teach her every day how important it is to look both ways and stay close to me and hold hands when anywhere near cars. so scary.