From the desk of Vaughan deKirby, California accident lawyer:

It’s officially summer now– and as a California accident lawyer, I have a very important message for San Francisco parents with young children at home.

Most of you probably have a driveway - a smooth sailing paradise for all the tricycle-tykes out there, but did you know that 30% of deaths involving a motor vehicle and a child are caused from a vehicle backing over a child while playing in the driveway? Given the nature of the accident, you can also imagine that more than 75% of those incidents involved the parent(s) of the child.

This is a horrifying thing for any parent to imagine. So how can you keep this tragedy from befalling your family? Here are some tips:

• One of the most important rules to remember is that the frontyard is a no-go zone when adults are not around. Fenced in backyards are the best place for children to play if they are going to be unsupervised. 
• Don’t let your children play outside after dark. Little ones are hard enough to see behind and around you in the middle of the day - at night it is next to impossible. When the sun goes down, take playtime inside.
• Teach your children not to play around parked or moving vehicles. Make sure to enforce your rules when necessary - eventually they will learn. You can even set up safety zones in the yard where your children can go in the event of a moving vehicle.
• Always walk around the car before you put the key in the ignition. This will not only help keep your children safe, it will also keep your vehicle safe i case there are objects behind you that you could not see.
• Remember - if there is no one to keep an eye on your child and you have to move the car, bring your child with you. Make sure they are inside the vehicle and you are ensured that they will be safe.

For more information on how to protect your children from common pedestrian accidents in California or for more information on California accident lawyer, Vaughan deKirby, visit http://www.consumerrightsalliance.org to request The Pedestrian Survival Guide: Safety, Rights, Recovery.