Every year, as children return to school in August and September, there is a significant increase in pedestrian accidents involving school-age children. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the hours around the start and end of the school day are the most dangerous times for child pedestrians. Distracted drivers, unfamiliarity with school zone rules, and children's unpredictable behavior all contribute to this seasonal spike in accidents.

The Scope of the Problem

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, approximately 135,000 children are treated in emergency rooms each year for pedestrian-related injuries in the United States. Children between the ages of 5 and 15 are at particularly high risk because they are less able to judge vehicle speed and distance, may not fully understand traffic rules, are smaller and less visible to drivers, and may dart into the street unexpectedly.

School Zone Laws in NC, SC, and GA

All three states have specific laws governing behavior in school zones:

North Carolina

North Carolina law requires drivers to reduce speed to 25 miles per hour in school zones during posted hours. Passing a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended and red lights flashing is a serious offense carrying fines of up to $500 and potential license revocation. Drivers must stop when approaching a school bus from either direction on an undivided highway.

South Carolina

South Carolina imposes similar school zone speed limits and school bus stopping requirements. Passing a stopped school bus can result in fines up to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail for repeat offenders.

Georgia

Georgia's school zone speed limit is 25 miles per hour during posted hours, and the state aggressively enforces school bus passing violations with fines up to $1,000 for a first offense and mandatory license suspension for repeat offenders.

Driver Responsibilities in School Zones

Drivers have an elevated duty of care in school zones. This means they must slow down to the posted school zone speed limit, watch for children at crosswalks, intersections, and along the roadside, stop for school buses with activated stop signals, yield to crossing guards and follow their directions, avoid using phones or other distracting devices in school zones, and be prepared for children to act unpredictably.

What to Do If a Child Is Injured

If a child is struck by a vehicle in a school zone or while walking to or from school, the following steps are critical: call 911 immediately, do not move the child unless they are in immediate danger, document the scene including the driver's information, any witnesses, and photographs, seek emergency medical treatment, and contact an experienced personal injury attorney.

When a child is injured, the parent or legal guardian has the right to pursue a personal injury claim on the child's behalf. These claims can recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and any long-term effects of the injury.

Holding Negligent Drivers Accountable

At Dr. Ted Injury Law, we take cases involving injured children very seriously. A driver who injures a child in a school zone or while passing a school bus was almost certainly being negligent, and they should be held accountable. Contact us at (800) 555-HURT for a free consultation about a pedestrian injury case involving a child.