Data shows toddlers twice as likely to be hit by car; CSP pushes for blindspot awareness
KDVR Fox 31
DENVER (KDVR) -- Troopers are pushing for parents and drivers to focus on blindspots with new numbers from Colorado State Patrol showing toddlers are twice as likely to be hit by a car than older kids.
In data over the last five years (2019 to 2023), there were 28 pedestrian crashes investigated by the Colorado State Patrol for toddlers zero to 4 years old and 14 crashes for children aged 5 to 9 years old. Reports showed the crashes mainly happened when a car was moving from a parked position or at extremely low speeds.
CSP’s findings were consistent with staggering statistics from Kids and Car Safety. The national nonprofit discovered that 110 children are hit by vehicles in parking lots and driveways every week on average in the United States.
“A lot of times, if the item isn't as big for the sensors to pick up, if the vehicle does have those sensors equipped that have those audible noises inside of the cab of the vehicle, they may not be triggering just because the child may be small and it might be not picking them up from that,” CSP Trooper Gabriel Moltrer said.
Troopers suggest that drivers walk completely around their car, scanning the area for children and pets before moving it. They also say it is a good idea to roll down the driver’s side window when backing up so you can hear if someone is warning you to stop.
“It can be prevented fairly easily,” Moltrer said. “All you have to do is make sure you're taking that couple of seconds. That couple of seconds, it could just save a life.”