Child pedestrian crashes rose through the fall school semester in Los Angeles County

A new analysis of UC Berkeley TIMS data from The Ryan Law Group found child pedestrian collisions in Los Angeles County climbed after summer and stayed elevated through the fall semester from 2022 to 2025. The pattern underscores that school-zone safety risks extend well beyond the first weeks of class.

Why it matters: - Child pedestrian crashes in Los Angeles County did not just spike at back-to-school time. The analysis found elevated risk persisted through the fall semester. - The trend points to ongoing danger in school zones, crosswalks, and neighborhood streets as children spend more time walking to and from school. - The findings support broader caution from drivers, parents, and school communities throughout the semester, not only in September.

What happened: - The Ryan Law Group, a Manhattan Beach personal injury law firm, analyzed four years of pedestrian collision data from UC Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System. - The review covered child pedestrian crashes in Los Angeles County from July through November between 2022 and 2025. - Child pedestrian crashes increased after summer and stayed higher after students returned to school. - The data showed collisions peaked in October.

The details: - Los Angeles County averaged just over 27 child pedestrian crashes in July. - That total rose about 20% in August. - Collisions climbed 53% in September. - Crashes peaked in October at nearly 61, which was about 90% higher than the July average. - Collision counts dipped slightly in November, but remained elevated compared with July. - Child pedestrian injuries followed the same pattern. - The county averaged about 32 injured child pedestrians in July. - Injuries increased 44% in August. - Injuries rose 70% in September. - October averaged 77 injured child pedestrians, a 144% increase over July. - The data covered children ages 5 to 18. - The analysis did not identify a single cause for the increase. - The report linked the trend to more children walking through neighborhoods, school zones, and crosswalks during the school year. - The Ryan Law Group included a full report with the data. - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises drivers to slow down near school zones and residential neighborhoods, stop for school buses when required, yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, and avoid distractions. - Parents are also urged to reinforce safe walking habits, including using designated crosswalks, looking left-right-left before crossing, and making eye contact with drivers.

Between the lines: - The data suggests the back-to-school season creates a sustained safety issue, not a short-lived one. - The October peak may reflect heavier fall traffic, more routine school travel, or broader exposure on neighborhood streets. - Because the analysis spans multiple years, the pattern appears consistent rather than isolated.

What's next: - Drivers are being urged to keep school-zone habits in place through the full semester. - Families may need to keep reinforcing pedestrian safety routines as daylight, traffic patterns, and school schedules change in the fall. - The broader takeaway is that prevention efforts should continue after the initial school-year rush.

The bottom line: - Child pedestrian collisions in Los Angeles County rose steadily through the fall semester, making school-year safety a months-long issue rather than a first-week warning.