Kids most at risk of injury on way home from school

Children are 50% more likely to be hurt in an accident on their way home from school than on their way to school, according to the Belgian Road Safety Institute (IBSR), which has launched an awareness campaign.

The end of the week is even more dangerous than the beginning, said IBSR. During the period 2011 to 2015, there were 303 children injured in accidents on their way to school on a Monday morning and 515 on a Friday evening, about 70%.

“Fatigue and the fact that everyone is happy that the school week is behind them certainly plays a role in this,” said the institute. In Brussels, the majority of victims were pedestrians, while in Flanders the majority were on bicycles.

The institute also noted that only one in three children are secured properly with a seatbelt or child seat in cars, and one in eight were not secured at all. The campaign’s foremost message is that everyone should be wearing a seatbelt.

Photo courtesy ISBR