Children’s safety is always something in the hearts and minds of parents and adults alike. Unfortunately, some of the safety measures with child car seats are not always followed, and can that can lead to serious or fatal injuries in a Virginia car crash. According to a recent study released in the August 8th issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, there were a significant number of parents not properly following the guidelines of the child safety seats.
The researchers reviewed three years of data from 2007-2009 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Survey on the Use of Booster Seats. This survey was taken by parents at fast food restaurants, gas stations, and child care centers. The goal of the researchers was to observe if parents pulled up to these establishments with their children properly restrained. What they found was within each age group, minority children were less likely to use the guideline-recommended safety measures. They found that infants from black and Hispanic families were 10 times more likely to be unrestrained in a car compared to their white counterparts. The older children from the same ethnic background were 20 times more likely to be improperly seated in the car. This puts each age group in great danger for injuries. They also found that children from a minority family had a higher propensity to be transitioned out of a safety seat much earlier than their white counterparts. Fewer than two percent of the children involved in the study were using booster seats as is recommended.
It’s important for parents to properly restrain their children while riding in a motor vehicle. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children older than three in the United States. They also cause around 179,000 child injuries each year. If a child is properly protected in a seat, their chance of death in a crash is reduced by 71 percent if they are infants, and 54 percent for toddlers.
If you have found yourself in a situation in which your child was properly restrained but still injured in a Warrenton car accident, we may be able to help you. The attorneys at Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas have an extensive knowledge of auto accidents and they can help guide you in the process. Contact them today for your free consultation.
