51% percent of Canadian teens say they have been hit or nearly hit while walking

Pedestrians being asked to take a Moment of Silence when crossing the street

TORONTO, November 17, 2014— More than half of Canadian teenagers (51%), between the ages of 13 – 18, said they have been hit or nearly hit by a vehicle while walking, according to survey results released today from Parachute and FedEx Express Canada. When asked about the contributing factors to the incident or near miss, teens most commonly said the driver wasn’t paying attention (72%) or the driver was going too fast (30%). Teens also admitted they’ve failed to look before stepping onto the road (20%) and being distracted by their phone, music or other communication device (8%).

The results of the pedestrian safety survey, conducted amongst 510 teens, were shared today with students from Northern Secondary School as part of a national awareness initiative to encourage Canadians to commit to taking a Moment of Silence, by putting their device down and paying attention when crossing the street. This public service announcement is dedicated to the thousands of young pedestrians who are killed or injured in Canada each year.

“These numbers remind us that we need to educate Canadians on pedestrian and driver safety, including at intersections,” said Louise Logan, Parachute’s President and CEO. “It’s simple, make road safety part of the conversation and remember to take a moment of silence and pay attention whether on foot or in a vehicle.”

The survey was developed to better understand why on average, 30 child pedestrians are killed and 2,412 are injured every year in Canada – meaning nearly every three hours, a child pedestrian is killed or injured. Further, according to the most recent data available, 376 youth were injured in 2010-2011, and 36 were killed as pedestrians in 2010. Most incidents happen between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., when drivers are coming home from work and children are walking home from school or after-school activities. For complete survey results and an infographic, visit parachutecanada.org.

“We all play a role in keeping our children and teens safe while they walk in their communities,” said Lisa Lisson, president of FedEx Express Canada. “At FedEx Express we put safety above all, both in the workplace and in the communities in which we operate. Our drivers know the importance of being extra alert around school and pedestrian crossings, since these are the most important stops they make each day.

For more than 10 years, Parachute has been funded by FedEx Express Canada to deliver Walk This Way, a national awareness campaign aimed at reminding parents and drivers about road safety and ensure kids can walk safely to and from school, from a friend’s house and in the neighbourhood. For information and resources on pedestrian and road safety, including the Pace Car community program, visit parachutecanada.org.

Parachute offers these tips to keep teens, as well as all pedestrians and drivers safe:

• Parents need to show their children and remind their teenagers about safe pedestrian practices.
• Reduce distractions, such as cellphones or loud music, and stay alert.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
• Be especially alert when it’s dark out, and make sure you’re visible to drivers.
• Cross at a traffic signal, crosswalk or corner.
• Drive slowly in residential and school zone areas where children and teens are more likely to be.

About the Survey

From November 6th to November 11th, an online survey was conducted among a sample of 510 Canadian teenagers 13 to 18 years old who are members or children of members of Angus Reid Forum panel. The margin of error — which measures sampling variability — is +/-4.34%, 19 times out of 20. The sample was balanced and weighted by age, gender and region Census data to be representative of Canadian teens 13-18 years old. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $46 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain « absolutely, positively » focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

About Parachute

Parachute is dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. A national charity, Parachute officially formed in July 2012, when the former Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada joined together to become one leader in injury prevention. Parachute’s injury prevention solutions, knowledge mobilization, public policy, and social awareness efforts are designed to help keep Canadians safe. Parachute’s vision is an injury-free Canada with Canadians living long lives to the fullest. For information, visit us at parachutecanada.org, follow us on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

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Contact:

George James
Parachute
647-776-5125 (w)
416-402-3783 (c)
gjames@parachutecanada.org