Regional EMS Authority - Reno, Nevada

REMSA URGES SAFETY DURING BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK

August 29, 2002 – It’s school time again and more than 53 million children nationwide will spend almost one-fourth of their waking hours in school or on school property according to National SAFE KIDS. As families gear up for the new school year, REMSA (Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority) reminds motorists to take extra precautions when traveling in school zones and encourages parents to keep safety top of mind by educating their children about being safe. According to National SAFE KIDS, two thirds of drivers nationwide speed in school zones and 75% of crashes occur on roads with posted speed limits of 40 mph or less.

“It is more important than ever before for parents to make their children aware of their surroundings, said Eric Guevin, Director of SAFE KIDS Washoe County and Community Education Director for REMSA. “Whether children are walking to school, riding a school bus or riding their bicycles, parents should take time to teach them safety guidelines to get them safely to school.”

In 2000 an estimated 44,600 children ages 14 and under suffered motor vehicle-related pedestrian injuries while over 370,000 children 14 and under are treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle related injuries each year. According to National SAFE KIDS, 51 percent of children ages 10 to 14 years old who suffered a serious bike injury were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. Now is the time for parents to be aware of the dangers and educate their little ones on how to prevent injuries from happening just by following the safety tips listed below:

Choose the safest route and walk it with children.
Teach children to recognize and obey all traffic signals and markings.
Make sure children look in all directions before crossing the street.
Teach children not to enter the street from between parked cars or from behind bushes or shrubs.
Teach children to cross the street at corner or crosswalk.
Make sure children always wear footwear and clothing that incorporates retroreflective material, and carry a flashlight if walking at dawn or dusk.
Warn children to be extra alert in bad weather because motorists might not be able to see children.
Be a good role model by demonstrating proper pedestrian safety.

Wear a bike helmet correctly.
Wear bike helmets at all times when bicycling.
Follow the rules of the road
Never let children ride on the road without direct adult supervision until age 10
Plan a safe cycling route with children and ride it with them.
Do not ride at night.
Make sure schools provide cyclists with “safe areas.”

Don’t have children carry or wear personalized items with their name on it.
Don’t let your child walk alone.
Be aware of strange behaviors and report them.
Don’t talk to strangers.
Create a password protection with your child that only you and your child know.
Assure children you will never send someone they don’t know to pick them up.
Be on the alert for other children’s safety.

Always use child safety seats and safety belts correctly every time you and your children ride.
Never place loose or heavy objects in the passenger areas of the car.
Allow extra time in the driver’s schedule to avoid driving too fast when late.
Arrange to pick up children at a safe spot away from the congestion of traffic around the school.
Drop off children in a safe location next to the school so that they do not have to cross the street.
Make sure they enter and leave the car on the curbside.

For more information about safety tips, please call Eric Guevin at (775) 858.5700.

REMSA is a private, not-for-profit emergency medical services system serving northern Nevada and northern California. REMSA’s state of the art 9-1-1 dispatch communications center is internationally accredited, as are all emergency medical transport services of the company. REMSA provides quality patient care with no taxpayer support or other subsidies.