It's spring break this week.

That means kids aren't in school this week.

And that means they could be anywhere, anytime this week.

And that means drivers have to be extra careful this week.

And so BCAA has some timely advice - advice that we'd like to share this week.

BCAA has passed along some shocking statistics about children and road safety. Ominously, the statistics originate with the BC Coroners Service.

More than 2,400 children pedestrians are seriously injured each year in Canada.

Thirty are killed. The kids most at risk for pedestrian-related injuries and fatalities are between the ages of five and 14 years. View mor

"As the weather warms up, more and more children venture outside to play in their front yards, on their streets and in neighbourhood playgrounds," notes BCAA's Mark Donnelly.

They're at an age when kids are easily distracted already, but throw in some nice spring weather and a few days out of school. add just one distracted driver, and it's a formula for disaster.

We all know that one of the most dangerous distractions identified for drivers is cellphone activity - talking or texting while driving is deadly dangerous.

But a University of Alabama at Birmingham study shows that cell-phones can be dangerous in pedestrians' hands, as well. In fact, children who talk on cellphones while crossing the street have as much as a one-third greater likelihood of being hit or nearly hit by a car.

So pedestrians need to put down their cellphones and pay attention, too.

-B.G.