Children at Greater Risk During Crashes

I’m Brian Ricci, father and car crash attorney in Greenville, NC. Being involved in a traffic accident with your little ones on board is one of the worst nightmares in life. Understanding that the effects of car accidents on children are far-reaching, both physically and psychologically, there are several precautionary measures that parents can implement to maximize protection of their children while traveling.

Based on the National Safe Kids Campaign statistics, the leading cause of death among children is car-related crashes. There are many factors that can increase the risk of death during car accidents. The major ones include collision size, type of seat restraints, parents drinking behavior, and the type of window and windshield glass in use.

What to Do to Protect Children from the Risk of Car Crashes

A caring parent should know the Do’s and Don’ts that can expose their children to greater risk during a car crash. Here are some of them:

  • Safety belts first: Some road accident fatalities involving children are preventable with the proper use of child safety seats and restraints. When used properly, safety seats and belts significantly reduce the chances of an ejection during a crash. Additionally, many communities in the US help in child car seat inspection. Parents can rely on the inspections to always ensure a safe ride for their family.
  • Don’t drink and drive: Alcohol use among the adult drivers is a leading cause of accident fatalities among children. Traffic statistics reveal that 20 percent of children who die following car classes involve drunk drivers with a blood alcohol exceeding the legal limit of most states – from .08 or higher. If you’re a caring parent, the best way to protect your child from accident-related injuries and fatalities is to avoid drinking and driving. You should also be wary about the alcohol intoxication of friends and relatives you trust to transport your children, irrespective of the travel distance.
  • Don’t speed: Speeding translates directly to the collision size during a car crash. Given the small stature of children, even a small collision is enough to eject them out of the motor vehicle. This would expose them to a higher risk of spine and head injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), broken bones, fractured spinal column or skull, paralysis or even loss of life. Additionally, speeding is not only risky for the children aboard, but also can lead to death of child pedestrians wandering along the roadways.
  • Check the glass your car has: As one of the precautionary measures in reducing the greater risk of child passenger fatalities, it’s a good idea to know the glass your vehicle’s windows have. During a car crash, the traditional glass shatters easily, which increases the probability of a total or partial ejection of the child passenger. That’s why the federal law compels car owners to have windows with laminated glass so that it doesn’t shatter easily, thus serving as a protective life net for child ejections.

Motor vehicle accidents leave children very vulnerable. While admittedly not all accidents are preventable, at least the parents can rely on safeguarding guidelines and tools to aid in making informed safety decisions for their children aboard the family motor vehicle.

If you or your child is injured in a car accident or other traumatic event, contact an attorney.

Greenville, NC Auto Accident Attorneys

I’m Brian Ricci, a Car Accident Lawyer serving Greenville, NC and the surrounding areas. If you have suffered a personal injury, please call me anytime at (252) 777-2222 or (888) 484-6881 for free, friendly advice. Let’s go over the details of your accident case over the phone and see how best to proceed. The call is free and there is no obligation to you.

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https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html