Taking basic precautions can help keep your family safe.
Parents want nothing more than to keep their kids safe from harm, whether it be at home, at school, or on the playground. Yet one of the most dangerous places that our kids can be is in the car. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number one cause of accidental deaths for children between the ages of 0 and 19 years of age is motor vehicle traffic-related deaths. While parents cannot prevent all accidents on the road, they can take steps to make sure their kids are as safe as possible when in and around cars.
As experienced car accident lawyers, we have seen our share of the injuries that can result when children and adults are involved in car crashes. That is why we believe it is so important to have the safest possible cars. Most new vehicles come with certain standard safety features. These include items such as automatic door locks and advanced airbags (for both the front and sides of your car), as well as rearview mirrors. You can also choose a vehicle with a higher safety rating based on government crash test results and other research. Again, while these items won’t prevent an accident or careless drivers, they can help to protect you and your loved ones should the worst case scenario happen.
If you have young children, make sure that they are appropriately restrained inside the vehicle. Depending on your state’s laws and recommendations, this will likely mean being in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat of the vehicle until age 2, and a front facing car seat for several more years. After graduating to a booster seat, a child should remain in the rear of a car for several more years. Always make sure that your car seat is appropriately installed; many police stations offer free checks of your car seat to make sure that it is installed perfectly.
Car accidents aren’t the only dangers for kids when it comes to cars. Kids often play around cars, on sidewalks, driveways, and streets. Make sure that your kids know that playing in these areas can be dangerous, and that they should be wary of approaching vehicles. Always supervise your children if they are playing in an area where cars could be present. You should also make sure that your vehicles are locked and that no children can get into your vehicles; unattended vehicles can be dangerous for kids, especially in hot weather.
While no parent can completely prevent the risk of car accidents, taking some common sense precautions can help reduce the risk of an accident and protect your family. If you and/or your children have been hurt in a crash, the experienced car accident attorneys of the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker can help. We have represented more than 100,000 clients and recovered more than $2 billion dollars on their behalf. Contact us today at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to schedule a free initial consultation. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you!
