St. Louis Injury Lawyer Blog

Halloween is right around the corner, and with the spooky holiday comes serious risks for child injury in St. Louis . As our little ghosts and goblins suit up for some trick-or-treat fun, we urge parents and guardians to take a timeout and review some simple Halloween safety tips to help ensure the safety of everyone.

"The single most important thing is for kids to wear costumes that can be easily seen by drivers," says Dr. Joseph Gunn of the St. Louis Children's Hospital, "and be very careful about obeying the rules of crossing the streets."

Our St. Louis, MO, car accident attorneys ask that everyone be on the lookout for one another on our roadways this Halloween. Motorists are asked to be extra careful and cautious when driving in or near residential neighborhoods as excited children will be jetting about from house to house gathering treats.

If you're heading out on Halloween with trick-or-treaters, here are some safety tips from Hopkins-St.Louis Park:

-Make sure that all young trick-or-treaters are under parental supervision.

-Everyone should either have reflective tape on their costume or a flashlight in their hand to be more visible to motorists.

-All walkers should be wearing comfortable shoes.

-Be sure that all costumes are short enough to help prevent a trip and fall hazard.

-Feed young ones dinner before heading out so that they're less likely to snack on candy throughout their journey.

Trick-or-treaters old enough to travel about without supervision:

-Make sure you're with a friend. Don't trick-or-treat alone.

-Make sure you have a planned route. It's important to pick a path that is away from busy roads and has sidewalks or safe walkways.

-Trick-or-treaters should never go up to a house that doesn't have any lights on. You should only approach houses that are well-lit.

-Wear a comfortable costume.

-Always carry a cellphone for emergencies.

-Wear reflective tape on your costume or carry a flashlight to help ensure that motorists see you.

-Keep an eye out for vehicles that are pulling into or backing out of driveways. Children are oftentimes overlooked in these scenarios.

-Never dart out from behind a parked car.

-Look both ways before and during your trek across a road.

-Never walk across someone's lawn.

-Accept treats only at the door.

-Never get into the car or go in the house of a stranger.

Halloween at your house:

-Make sure your driveway, sidewalk and front porch are clear of debris.

-Wipe up all surfaces that may be wet.

-Make sure all of your lights are on and working.

-Never leave candles or lit jack-o-lanterns unattended.

-Keep candy away from pets and keep pets away from the front door as many are overwhelmed by the doorbell and young trick-or-treaters.

We know it's supposed to be a night of fright, but there's no room for injuries. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Continue reading "Our St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers Wish You a Safe and Happy Halloween!" »

There are many reasons to go out for a walk or hop on a bicycle for a leisurely ride around the neighborhood. But for some Missouri students, these two forms of transportation may be the only way to get to and from school. With that comes the real risk of potentially being involved in a traffic-related pedestrian accident in St. Louis.

Today, Oct. 5th, the International Walk to School Day campaign is back to help raise awareness about the risks these young pedestrians face. The annual event is also a good time to discuss ways to help reduce traffic accidents and to campaign for safer roadways for walkers. Our Missouri pedestrian accident attorneys understand the benefits and possible rewards of this campaign.

The first Walk to School Day started in 1997 in Chicago when it was used as a day for children and community leaders to get together to raise awareness about the need for more walkable communities. Later in 2002, the event recorded its largest number of participants -- 3 million people worldwide. In 2005, the event helped to rally for new legislation that now provides federal funding to states to help construct more walkable roadways. Now there are more than 11,000 schools in every state that have been awarded some of this federal funding -- more than $600 million -- to help communities improve conditions for pedestrians.

The campaign not only reinforces the call for safer roadways, but also reminds us that walking is a great way to help keep our young ones in shape. It can also lead to other healthy habits and helps reduce air pollution.

Schools in Columbia participating in the 2011 International Walk to School Day:

-Benton Elementary School

-Blue Ridge Elementary School

-Cedar Ridge Elementary School

-Derby Ridge Elementary School

-Fairview Elementary School

-Grant Elementary School

-Lee Elementary School

-Millcreek Elementary School

-Parkade Elementary School

-Paxton Keeley Elementary School

-Ridgeway Elementary School

-Rockbridge Elementary School

-Russell Elementary School

-Shepard Elementary School

-West Boulevard Elementary School

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were approximately 34,000 pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. in 2009. Five percent of these accidents involved people younger than 15 years old. More than 1,300 pedestrians in this young age group were killed in traffic-related accidents during 2009. Approximately 180,000 were injured in these same incidents. This means that every day there were approximately 4 deaths and 490 injuries experienced by children under 15 in pedestrian accidents.

We would like to encourage you and your child to get involved in this year's events. You can visit the campaign's website to find out exactly Who's Walking in Missouri. Remember to talk with your child about how to be a safe pedestrian. Keep the dangers, risks and importance of safe habits as a frequent topic of conversation in your household.

Reasons to walk, according to the campaign:

.-An excellent source of physical activity.

-To reduce risks of fatal car accidents.

-To raise community awareness about pedestrian safety.

-To raise awareness about environmental issues.

-To help reduce vehicular traffic.

-To reclaim neighborhoods.

-To share time with family members, friends and community leaders.

Continue reading "Missouri to Participate in International Walk to School Day to Raise Awareness of Pedestrian Accidents in Missouri and Elsewhere" »

Missouri State Patrol recently conducted a number of school bus inspections to help prevent child injury in St. Louis and elsewhere throughout the state this school year. The results conclude that nearly 90 percent of the school buses in St. Louis have passed the rigorous inspection. Cpl. Jeff Wilson says that he and his force have looked over roughly 12,000 buses. The ones that didn't pass the test were taken off the road immediately, according to CBS St. Louis.

"We give [school districts] a little time to make those corrections on those buses," said Wilson. "Even though they got put out of service at the time those inspections were done, we re-inspected those buses and got them up to standards."

Our St. Louis personal injury attorneys understand that equipping our schools with safe buses is only half the battle. The other half is in the hands of motorists. We ask that all drivers be extra cautious on our roadways during this time of year to help prevent accidents with children who may be waiting for the bus to pick them up or those who have been dropped off and are heading home.

Wilson says that they will be conducting spot checks throughout the course of the year as well to make sure that these safe conditions are maintained.

The mechanics that lead these inspections have all been certifies through State Patrol. Each safety inspection is done within the two months of the first day of school.

The National Safety Council reports that approximately 25 million students ride the big, yellow bus to and from school every year. In 2005 alone, there were 134 people killed because of traffic accidents that involved a school bus. Another 11,000 people were injured in these accidents.

The St. Louis County Police would like to focus on the safety of our students as well. There are some safety tips that parents are urged to discuss with their children to help ensure that their trips to and from school are safe.

Tips for walking to school or walking to the bus stop:

-Be aware of the routes that your child takes to school or the bus.

-Require them to walk with a group. Never let them walk alone.

-Tell your child to keep away from and never talk to strangers.

-Go over these rules periodically with your child.

-Instruct them to walk on a sidewalk.

-If there are no sidewalks available on their trip, make sure they know to walk in a single-file line on the far-right side of the road.

-Children are to only cross the street at an intersection.

-Make sure that your child knows to follow the directions of the school crossing guard.

-Never walk within 10 feet of the bus unless you're entering or exiting it.

Continue reading "Missouri State Patrol Examines 12,000 School Buses to Help Prevent Child Injury in St. Louis" »

Your risk of an accident in St. Louis may be the scariest thing about Halloween.

St. Louis pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents and dog attacks are just a few of the premise liability claims that plague the week of Halloween.

And your odds don't get any better out on the road; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Halloween is among the most dangerous weeks on the road, claiming an average of more than 500 lives each year over the past decade. Drunk driving was blamed for more than half of the 5,000 traffic deaths.

Nationwide, law enforcement will be conducting an "Over the Limit. Under Arrest" campaign to crackdown on drivers who climb behind the wheel after having too much to drink.

But children are frequently injured in many other types of accidents during Halloween. In fact, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that Halloween is among the busiest holidays in the nation's emergency rooms, with patients ages 10 to 14 being the most frequently injured.

The Missouri Department of Social Services offers the following Halloween Safety Tips:

-Stay in familiar areas.

-Visit only homes with porch lights on.

-Avoid costumes that make walking or seeing difficult.

-Carry a working flashlight.

-Wear costumes that are easily visible after dark -- consider using reflective tape.

-Never leave children without adult supervision.

-Keep away from candles or open flames.

-Never go into a stranger's home.

-Do not eat candy until it has been checked by an adult.

Continue reading "St. Louis slip and fall, dog bite, premise liability concerns come with Halloween" »