Spring is officially here and summer is just around the corner. The weather is getting warmer and days are getting longer. The familiar sounds of laughter, the pitter-patter of children’s footsteps and the crack of baseball bats can be heard in our backyards, neighborhoods, parks and playgrounds. These joyous sounds conjure up memories of my own childhood and playing backyard baseball games with friends or riding my bicycle through the neighborhoods of Wheeling.
With more children outside playing this time of year, it is imperative that drivers take precautions to help keep them safe. Be alert and on the lookout for children playing when driving. Be extra cautious when driving through residential neighborhoods or near schools, playgrounds or parks. Limit distractions when traveling through these areas. Turn down your radio and put down or hang up the phone.
But perhaps most importantly, slow down. Reducing your speed by even a few miles per hour will give you more time to react to a child darting into the roadway or inadvertently drifting their bicycle in front of your vehicle.
It only takes a split second for the laughs and fun to come to a crushing, life-changing end. Let’s do our part to keep our children safe and our neighborhoods filled with laughs and giggles.
