Non-Traffic Motor Vehicle Accidents and Children
A recent study highlights the dangers that motor vehicles pose to children. You might think that the risk of injury from motor vehicles is only related to traffic accidents. However, the study focuses on deaths and injuries for children involved in non-traffic accidents involving motor vehicles. An article in Science Dailydiscusses the study and its findings. Some of the findings were both interesting and disturbing.
What Did the Study Reveal About Non-Traffic Motor Vehicle Accidents and Children?
After an extensive review of accidents and incidents involving children and motor vehicles, the study reveals statistics about the rate of occurrence of these types of accidents.
- From 1990 through 2014, over 11,750 non-traffic incidents resulted in deaths and injuries in children 14 years of age and younger.
- During that time, 14,500 children 14 years of age and under were injured in non-traffic accidents.
- Approximately 3,400 children were killed in non-traffic accidents during this period.
- Non-traffic accidents involving children occurred in a variety of locations and situations.
What Types of Non-Traffic Accidents Cause Injury or Death for Children?
Non-traffic accidents involving motor vehicles can cause serious injuries and death. Examples of incidents that can be dangerous for children include:
- Entrapment in trunks;
- Children being left in vehicles;
- Power window injuries and strangulation;
- Children playing in vehicles resulting in putting the vehicle in gear; and,
- Rolling over children (i.e. frontovers and backovers).
What Can You Do to Prevent Non-Traffic Motor Vehicle Accidents?
We must take non-traffic accidents very seriously. Even though some vehicles may have several security features to prevent certain accidents or incidents, you must take precaution to prevent a tragic accident from occurring involving your vehicle.
Steps you can take to avoid a non-traffic motor vehicle accident include:
- Never leave your vehicle unlocked. Always lock your vehicle even if you will only be inside for a few minutes.
- Secure your keys in a location out of reach of a child.
- Consider adding a rearview camera and sensing system to your vehicle. When you purchase a new vehicle, purchase a model with cameras and sensing systems.
- Back into parking spaces and driveways whenever possible to reduce the risk of a backover accident.
- Do not rush! Always look around your entire vehicle before moving. Use your mirrors and turn around to check all areas physically. Never rely solely on mirrors for clearance in a vehicle.
- When closing doors, make sure little hands are not near the doors.
- When getting in and out of vehicles, help small children, especially in SUVs and larger vehicles to reduce the risk of falls.
A motor vehicle can be dangerous even when it is not moving or in traffic. Take precautions to prevent a child from being seriously injured in a non-traffic accident.
Fresno Child Injury Lawyers
If your child has been injured in a non-traffic motor vehicle accident, we can help. We can fight for your child to receive the compensation he or she deserves from the negligent party who allowed the accident to happen.
Call Torem & Associates by telephone at (888) 500-5000or use the contact form on our website to schedule a free consultation with a Fresno child injury attorney. For your convenience, we have two new office locations.
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