Thirty Canadian children die each year when they are hit by cars while walking down the street, making pedestrian injuries the third leading cause of injury-related death in kids, new data says.

The report, issued by Safe Kids Canada, also says that another 2,412 children a year are seriously injured in pedestrian accidents.

Most of these accidents take place on residential streets. In fact, most child pedestrians who are killed are hit while crossing the street at an intersection within 5 kilometres of their home.

And most accidents occur between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

"Children are unpredictable and as adults we have to be responsible for the speed we drive," said Dr. Angelo Mikrogianakis, an adviser to Safe Kids Canada and an emergency physician at The Hospital for Sick Children.

Mikrogianakis told CTV's Avis Favaro that drivers need to avoid distractions such as eating, drinking and even shaving or putting on makeup in the car. However, he also said that children need to be educated in road safety.

A new survey, conducted by Safe Kids Canada and Harris/Decima, found that 14 per cent of Canadians say they drive at least 10 km/h or more over the speed limit in residential areas. But the report says this decision can have deadly consequences.

A child has a 95 per cent chance of survival if hit by a car travelling at 30 km/h. However, a child has an 80 per cent chance of dying if hit by a car moving at 50 km/h.

"Slow down, drive the speed limit, be aware of the speed you are driving," Pamela Fuselli, executive director of Safe Kids Canada, said at a press conference on Monday.

"The difference in your speed can make the difference to the life of a child."

The survey showed that 74 per cent of drivers would support lowering the speed limit to 30 km/h in residential areas if it would make children safer.

However, drivers can choose to alter their road habits without waiting for a government mandate. Safe Kids Canada says that if drivers reduce their speed by 11.6 km/h, they will reduce their chances of hitting a pedestrian by 50 per cent.

Chris White of the Canadian Automobile Association said that a speed limit is the maximum speed at which drivers are allowed to travel. Therefore, they can choose to go slower in neighbourhoods that are highly populated with kids.

"I think that the message that Safe Kids Canada is putting out is consistent with the message that we've put out, which is driving is a privilege, it's not a right and motorists have to be vigilant at all times," White said during an interview on Monday on CTV Newsnet.

The findings kicked off Safe Kids Week, an initiative to reduce injuries in children.