ATLANTA , Georgia ( CNN ) -- On February 2 , 7-year-old Cameron Dunmore crossed a street to get to his elementary school in Lithonia , Georgia . This scenario takes place thousands of times uneventfully each school day in our country . But this time Cameron did not make it to school . A crossing guard was halting traffic at the time , but the busy intersection did not have a traffic light and one vehicle did not see the boy . Cameron was struck by an SUV and died that same day in the hospital . Remind children to walk , not run , when crossing the street , so drivers have a chance to see them . As a parent who walks my young child to school every day , Cameron 's story is tragically heartbreaking , but unfortunately not unique . In fact , according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , nearly 5,000 pedestrians died and 70,000 were nonfatally injured in traffic crashes in 2007 . Children are at particular risk because of their size , immature judgment and lack of experience with traffic rules . As we promote walking as a healthy and environmentally sound way to get to school , how can we make sure our children make it there safely ? Read NHTSA 's tips on walking and biking safety . Can seeing red help ? Sally Flocks , president and CEO of PEDS , a pedestrian advocacy organization based in Atlanta , believes that traffic lights or flashing red lights in school zones can make a difference . She cited studies showing that having a marked crosswalk without a light may be more dangerous than having no crosswalk at all , and that yellow lights tend to get ignored compared with red . Flocks encourages the public to urge their legislators to invest in traffic safety measures such as red lights , which can ultimately benefit motorists , cyclists and pedestrians alike . Speed kills . According to a United Kingdom Department of Transportation study , speed really matters . A pedestrian hit by a car traveling 20 mph has a 5 percent chance of being killed , while one hit at 40 mph has an 85 percent chance . Flocks suggests that radar signs that tell how fast you are driving and photo enforcement of speeders at intersections near schools could help save lives . Even without the threat of getting a speeding ticket , I would hope the risk of injuring or killing someone else or ourselves would be enough to remind most of us to slow down , especially in school zones and other congested areas . Give walking and driving your undivided attention . It 's well known that the distraction from talking on a cell phone while driving can be as bad as or even worse than driving drunk . New research shows that cell phone use while walking can also be distracting . Psychologist David C. Schwebel Ph.D. and his associates from the University of Alabama at Birmingham reported in the February 2009 issue of Pediatrics that preadolescents ( ages 10 and 11 -- when most children are mature enough to cross the street by themselves ) talking on cell phones had a greater chance of being hit or nearly hit during a simulated road-crossing exercise . Schwebel explains that crossing a street is much more complex than we may realize , with the need for assessing such variables as the approaching vehicles ' direction and speed , along with the distance and time needed to cross the street . Adding a diversion such as a cell phone conversation causes risky behavior and delayed reactions . Use common safety sense . Do n't check your common sense at the door when you leave for school . Encourage your children to wear brightly colored clothing . Try to walk in groups , and be sure to include adults , who are taller and more visible to drivers . Remind children to walk , and not run , when crossing the streets , so that drivers have a chance to see them . Finally , do n't take any traffic risks : If you 're not sure whether you can cross safely , wait until you can . It could happen anywhere . Cameron 's story took place in metropolitan Atlanta , but it could happen anywhere in America , in my neighborhood or yours . Mourners have placed stuffed animals and flowers at the intersection where Cameron was killed . I 'm going to put some at my crosswalk too , in hopes of reminding us all to be safer pedestrians and drivers . After all , our lives -- and our children 's -- may depend on it . Jennifer Shu , M.D. , is an Atlanta-area pediatrician and mother . She contributes regularly to CNNhealth.com .
NHTSA : Nearly 5,000 pedestrians killed , 70,000 injured non-fatally in 2007 . Children at risk because of size , immature judgment , lack of experience . Comment: