Protecting Children’s Safety and Avoiding Injuries in Motor Vehicles
With the Fourth of July behind us and summer in full bloom, parents around the country are enjoying quality time with their children. But for those with young children, ensuring motor vehicle safety is a huge concern. Throughout the United States, motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death among children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 600 American children under the age of 12 were fatally injured in automobile accidents throughout 2015. If you or a member of your family are injured in an auto accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you understand your options for pursuing compensation for your damages.
Ensuring Child Safety
While every occupant faces inherent risk every time they ride in a motor vehicle, protecting children is a top priority for any parent. Listed below are some simple tips that could help you ensure that your child is safe in your vehicle:
Utilize Proper Safety Restraints: More than half of all roadway fatalities throughout 2016 were due in part to the victim not wearing their seatbelt. As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child is utilizing the proper safety restraints while riding in a vehicle. If you have young children, it is important for them to have access to the appropriate restraint system for their height and weight.
If children use safety seats that are too big or prematurely switch to a standard seat belt restraint system, this can cause more harm than good. Do your due diligence when it comes to restraining your children in your vehicle; it may just save a life.
Do Not Let Your Children Distract You: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 3,400 people lost their lives due to distracted driving in 2016. While driving with children in the car, avoiding distractions can be a difficult proposition.
Next time you drive with your children, do your best to avoid taking your eyes from the road, moving your hands from the steering wheel, or averting your overall awareness from the task of driving. We all love spending time with our children, but focusing on the road can be the difference between life and death.
Always Be Attentive: As a parent, you always have to be aware of unanticipated risks, and this holds especially true when it comes to motor vehicle safety. When you drive with your children, be aware of the temperature. Young children are especially susceptible to overheating while in vehicles.
If you leave your vehicle, take your children with you. Even without the keys, a child can change a car’s gears and risk the safety of themselves and others. If your children are playing with toys, keep them out of the front two seats. A small toy could cause big damage if it gets lodged under your brake pedal.
Contact a Lake County Personal Injury Attorney
Despite our best efforts, car accidents do happen. In the event of an injury, it is important to know where to turn for legal guidance and support. At Salvi & Maher, L.L.C., our team of Waukegan car accident lawyers have been helping families recover from the pain of motor vehicle injuries for decades. For additional information and to schedule a free consultation, call us today at 847-662-3303.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html
https://www.saintlukeskc.org/health-library/keeping-children-safe-and-around-cars
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.