Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1943-09-09
TEACH A CHILD
TRAFFIC RULES
State Board of Health Urges
Parents to Teach Traf-
fic Safety
PLAN ROUTES TO SCHOOL

More than a hundred youngsters
between the ages of 3 and Ia We're
injured or killed in traffic acct
dents in Delaware last year, ac-
cording to the State Board OF
Health. Though a majority of
these, as would be expected, occur
led on busy Wilmington streets,
there were 10 traffic accidents to
children outside of Wilmington last
year and IL more in the month
period ending July 31st, according
to the accident reports of the State
Police. The Safety Through Edu-
cation Program, conducted by them
rs felt to be responsible for some of
the reduction in traffic accidents to
school children in 1912, since last
year shows "A per cent less pedes-
trian accidents to school children
between the ages of 5 and IA than
there were in 1941.
Crossing Highway Dangerous
Highest hazard in the state out
side of Wilmington during 1912 and
so far this year, was crossing
streets or roadways at places other
than at intersections. This fault
caused IL accidents to school chill
dren age 5 to IA. Seven were in
jured coming out from behind
parked cars and were hurt play
ing in the roadway. Two more
were hurt walking in the roadway
where sidewalks were not available,
and 2 crossing at intersections
where there wa sno traffic signal
and cars were too near for safety.
Parents Responsibility
DR.. Marion Hotopp, Acting Di-
rector of the Division of Maternal
and Child Health for the State
Board of Health, suggests that par
ents take their primary grade chill
dren to the busy streets or high
ways that they must cross on their
way to school and let the children
say when it is safe to proceed.
Only then, she says, can parents be
reasonably sure that the little folks
realize how important it is to look
bth ways before crossing and to
stay n the side when cars are near.
See that children understand how
traffic lights work and what the
colors mean. Have them under
stand that traffic policemen and
school boy safety patrols are on
dut to help them cross streets or
highways safely-and that their
orders must be obeyed.
Plan Children's Routes
Based on last years attendance
reports of the public schools, it is
expected that about 4,195 children
will enter the first grade of Della
ware schools this fall, and DR..
Hotopp points out that if parents
would plan the safest route for
these children to take when they
walk between home and school,
and see that the children follow it,
instead of going hit or miss as the
children wish, many accidents could
be avoided. Often it is possible to
plan route that does not take
them across street or highway at
busy or dangerous intersection.
But it takes a grown-up, not a six
year-old mind to determine this, re-
minds DR.. Hotopp.
Children Must Cooperate
Motorists, it is true, are often to
blame in traffic accidents, but chill
dren, too, break the rules and it
will take the cooperation of chill
dren, parents, teachers as well as
car drivers to prevent future traf-
fc accidents and deaths to Della
ware youngsters. The Delaware
Safety Council and the State Po-
lice join the State Board of Health
in asking parents to teach their
children how to cross streets and
roadways safely and not to dart
out from behind parked cars, chase
balls across streets without looking
for traffic or to run after dogs or
play tag on busy streets and high
ways.