Ledger photo by SCOTT BAUGHMAN Gaffney letter carrier Tanya Cooper and Postmaster Garvin Daniels are concerned about children playing around United States Postal Service mail trucks. After collecting more than 14,000 pounds of food during the National Association of Letter Carrier's annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Saturday, Postmaster Garvin Daniels and the staff at the Gaffney Post Office are grateful to their community.

But they're also a bit worried about local kids.

"Recently a boy was hit by a car close to my home. Although, the post office had no involvement, it did awaken us to what could happen," said Tanya Cooper, who's been a mail carrier for the past year. "With summer approaching fast, children will be outside every day. In areas all over town children will be playing in or near our streets. Often these children will be unsupervised and I think parents are in need of a serious wake-up call."

The accident, involving a young boy on Highway 150 near Boiling Springs, wasn't fatal but was a serious incident. For Cooper, the chance of hitting a child on the road is all too real.

"I understand that sometimes children don't have anywhere else to play," she said. "In those cases, parents should speak with their children about the dangers of playing in the road. Please let them know that they should completely step off the road when a vehicle approaches and always be aware of speeding vehicles and honking horns."

Daniels echoed her concerns.

"You always see those ads on television about parents talking to their kids about drugs," he said. "Well, they need to tell them about playing in the street as well."

But it isn't always about negligence.

"I see children racing towards the mail trucks and sometimes even trying to hold on to the back of the truck while skateboarding or riding bicycles," Cooper said. "Parents need to be aware of how dangerous this is and let your children know, too. Small children love to help out mom and dad by getting the mail when the mail truck stops in front of their home. This is extremely dangerous. I've seen babies still wearing diapers running toward the mail truck to get the mail. What if the carrier doesn't see the child? What if the child drops a piece of mail and it falls under the truck? Children and parents should only get the mail from the mail box after the mail truck has completely passed by."

And the equipment can present a danger.

"Postal vehicles have several blind spots that may obstruct the carrier's view," Cooper concluded. "As carriers, we do our best to keep an eye out for children playing, but we need help to ensure that our children remain safe. Remember, even if your street doesn't have much traffic, it only takes one vehicle to take a child's life."