(BPT) - When it comes to keeping young walkers safe on America’s roads, the country has made great strides: child pedestrian deaths have plunged 53 percent and injuries are down 44 percent since 1995, according to a study by Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx. Still, the study also indicates that bigger steps are needed to improve pedestrian safety overall, and particularly for teenagers.

Daily, more than 61 children seek medical attention for injuries sustained while walking, and more than 500 children die every year in pedestrian accidents. Teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19 are now the most at-risk age group, accounting for 50 percent of child pedestrian injuries in the past five years. The death rate among teens is now twice that of younger children.

“The study, Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation, tells us two things,” says Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “While our focus on younger kids, through programs such as ‘Walk this Way,’ has made a tremendous difference, we need to turn the spotlight - and our collective efforts - on this disturbing trend impacting our teenagers.”