Your children are your most precious cargo in the car—make sure they are safe.
No parent wants to think about the possibility of his or her child getting hurt in a serious automobile accident. It is a parent’s worst nightmare. Sadly, for many parents, that nightmare is a reality as car accidents are the leading cause of death for children three years of age and older. In addition, another 179,000 child injuries result from motor vehicle crashes.
What can you do to keep your child safe should you be involved in a Front Royal car accident?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the use of a car seat can reduce the risk of fatality among infants in car crashes by as much as 71 percent. The risk of death for toddlers is cut by 54 percent. However, this reduction in death risk only applies when the car seat is properly installed.
The first step to keeping your child protected in the vehicle is to ensure that his or her car seat is installed correctly. It is vital to follow the car seat manufacturer’s guidelines. HealthyChildren.org also publishes safety tips on properly installing children’s car seats, which should be reviewed by parents and caregivers.
There’s more that you can do to protect your child.
Properly installing the car seat is paramount in protecting your little one from car accident injuries. However, you can do more. Below are some safety tips to keep your children from harm should an accident occur:
- Make sure your child is in an age-appropriate seat. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants and toddlers should be rear-facing until they are at least 2 years or older, or until they pass the allowed weight and height limits. Children over the age of 2 or who have outgrown their rear-facing seat should use an appropriate convertible seat or forward-facing seat with a harness. Once a child has outgrown that device, a booster seat is recommended until the child is 4 feet 9 inches and between the ages of 8 and 12.
- Children should ride in the back. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that children younger than 13 years ride in the back seat of the vehicle. The back seat provides the most protection for children and helps avoid serious air-bag injuries.
- Keep them buckled. Some parents are tempted to allow their children to forgo the proper safety restraints. Even if the baby is crying, he or she should not be taken out of the car seat while the vehicle is in motion. Sparing a few tears for the sake of safety is just not worth it.
If you or your child has been hurt in an accident, contact the Front Royal car accident attorneys at the law firm of Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas at 540-636-7100.
