Pittsburgh, PA Man Protects Family from Driveway Car Accidents

June 2008

Even if you have a private driveway, it may not be completely safe when it comes to accidents. Car accidents that occur in private driveways injure and kill many people in the United States, and one Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania resident has taken steps to protect his family from these risks.

In Shadyside, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, PA, one homeowner chose to have a single traffic light installed on the left side of his 150-foot long private driveway in order to protect his toddler and dog. To caution drivers, a motion sensor makes a red "X" to flash when the child or the dog is in the driveway. Most times, he says, delivery trucks, vendors, and visiting friends and family properly heed the light's signals.

Backover accidents are another risk posed by driveways and garages. They occur as an automobile backs out of its space and are increasing in number as more Americans drive SUVs with larger blind spots. At least 50 children are hurt in backover car accidents each week, according to Janette Fennell, president and co-founder of Kids and Cars, a non-profit safety organization. Of those 50 children – who are typically below five years of age – two die from their accident injuries.