Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old [1]. Once CDC study found that, in one year, more than 618,000 children ages 0-12 rode in vehicles without the use of a child safety seat or booster seat or a seat belt at least some of the time. Based on strong evidence of effectiveness, the Community Preventative Services Task Force recommends car seat laws and car seat distribution plus education programs to increase restraint use and decrease injuries and deaths to child passengers. These programs are encouraged to offset the 638 children ages 12 years and younger who died have died in a year as occupants in motor vehicle crashes and more than 127,250 who were injured due to 38% of them not being buckled up [2]. The rest were unfortunate/ life-changing results from negligent driving techniques. To keep your family safe, we at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA have complied a simple safety plan for traveling on the highway, driving around town, or even backing out of your own driveway.
According to an article written for Parents.com, there are 5 surprising facts about kids and car safety. These facts summarized include:
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Most accidents happen near home.
Most accidents involving kids actually occur on local, residential roads during a routine trip to the day-care center, the grocery store, or the neighborhood park. This is why is essential to take shorter trips just as serious as longer trips. The precautions that go into effect for these longer trips need to be accounted for the every day trips. Marilena Amoni, acting senior associate administrator for research and program development at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) said, “And never forget to use your own seat belt. Kids watch everything that you do, so it’s important that you set the right example.”
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Kids are more in danger than babies and toddlers.
When kids get older, parents tend to assume that their kids are more responsible about car safety than when they have to strap them in as infants. However, many parents let children climb into the front seat well before they’re 13, the minimum age considered safe for riding in the front. Many parents also do not continue to put their children in car seats–such as boosters–as their kids pass the requirement to be strapped into rear-facing car seats. As such, only 20 percent of kids between 4 and 8 ride in booster seats.
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SUVs don’t keep your family safer.
Crash tests show that SUVs are no safer than ordinary sedans. In fact, they are actually more likely to roll over, especially in a single-vehicle accident where a tuck trips over a guardrail or flips during a fast turn. The safest family cars tend to be lower and larger vehicles like crossovers or station wagons when compared to the larger and higher vehicles. In addition, parents who suspect that 4 wheel drive will save them from every condition tend to drive in weather that shouldn’t be driven in, regardless of the extra “safety” feature. People who still want an SUV should strive to get one with electronic stability or anti-roll control.
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A stationary car can be just as dangerous as a nonmoving car.
Terrill Struttmann, executive director of Kids in Cars, an education and advocacy organization he and his wife started after their 2-year-old son was killed by a car set in motion by two kids playing along inside stated, “Children should never, ever be left along in an automobile—not even for a minute.” As many as 220 children per year are killed in nontraffic automobile accidents. Events that lead to nontraffic automobile accidents include children who become strangled by a window when they’re leaning out and they (or someone else) inadvertently lean on a power switch. Some others may some release the emergency brake or more the gear-shift lever, setting the car in motion. Children may also climb through the folded-down flap in the middle of the rear seat, exposing the trunk with accessibility to climb in, only to then push back the flap and trap themselves inside. Some 30 kids also die each year when their parents leave them alone in the car and suffocate from overheating. The possibilities of injuries sustained from a car parked in the driveway are endless, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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Kids don’t need to be inside of a care to be hurt by one.
In addition to the responsibility of watching one’s children inside the car, it’s also crucial to be cautious of a parked car when a child is outside of it. Despite many efforts to raise public awareness about pedestrian safety, nearly 400 kids age 15 and under are killed each year when they’re hit by an automobile. Even when you assume that your child is safe, it’s important to remain attentive, no matter how many times you’ve drilled your child to stay away from the street, to look both ways, to hold your hand in parking lots, etc. you still need to keep a close eye on them. A survey conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide found that a majority of derivers speed in school zones and that nearly a third violate stop signs in neighborhoods where there are kids [3].
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
Our littles ones mean the world to us. We at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA drive our kids around all the time and are aware that parenting is not perfect. However, when it comes to driving with our children, the numbers are alarming to the possibility of losing them due to not taking that extra minute to make sure they are securely strapped in, leaving them in the car for a few minutes to run inside a store for an errand or other reasons that we justify in a moment of time. These precious moments can be the difference between life and death. Protecting our children by being aware of the surprising facts and safety tips can help to make sure that they do not become the next statistic.
However, if you find yourself in the unfortunate event of an accident involving your children or the children of others, it’s essential that you attain the best legal advice so that further action can be handled properly. The auto accident injury attorneys of Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA are experienced in litigation and laws that govern your rights and options. You can contact our injury law attorneys at 727-222-6922. We are ready and willing to assist you and your family with any important issue.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
1663 1st Ave S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
727-222-6922
References:
[1] https://webappa.cdc.gov/cgi-bin/broker.exe
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html
[3] Car Seat Safety Check: 9 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid
