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Kids Can't Cope With Traffic, AAA Foundation Warns

31 August 1999

Kids Can't Cope With Traffic, AAA Foundation Warns: Drivers Need Added Caution Near Schools

    WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 -- Children don't see traffic the way
adults do, reports the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.  That means extra
danger, especially now that school is starting.  "Younger children in
particular don't have the ability to deal with moving vehicles," says David
Willis, President of the AAA Foundation. "They have poor directional hearing,
narrow peripheral vision, and they can't judge speed and distance the way
older children and adults can."
    Motorists who drive in areas where there are large numbers of
children, such as schools and neighborhoods of young families, need to be
aware of childrens' perceptual and behavioral differences. In addition to
hearing and seeing differently from adults, children tend to concentrate on
just one thing at a time. "Even though they know they're supposed to look
both ways, if they're chasing a ball or a pet they won't do it," Willis
says.  Children may also see cars as being friendly rather than dangerous,
and may not understand that drivers can't stop quickly.
    To help educate the public about children's behavior around cars, the AAA
Foundation for Traffic Safety has produced "Children in Traffic," a 13-minute
video showing how children's perceptions differ from those of adults.  Each
topic -- sight, hearing, depth perception, concentration, and so forth -- is
demonstrated with real-life situations.
    "All drivers, not just parents, need to know about these differences,"
Willis says. "It's up to drivers to protect children, because the children are
not mature enough to know how to protect themselves."
    The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit charitable
foundation in Washington, D.C.  The AAA Foundation is funded by donations from
AAA and CAA clubs and members, with a mission to prevent crashes and save
lives through research and education in the field of traffic safety.
    "Children in Traffic" is available from the AAA Foundation at
1-800-305-SAFE (1-800-305-7233), priced at $60 for commercial organizations
and $40 for non-profit organizations and schools, plus shipping.