How can I protect my children from an Oklahoma City car accident?
We all want to make sure our children are safe. We worry about playgrounds, sleepovers, crossing the street-but what about an everyday activity that we take for granted?
Children are at particular risk in Oklahoma City car crashes. From age 2 to 14, a child is more likely to die in a car accident than any other cause-and they’re more likely to be injured than any other passenger.
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A few facts about children and auto accidents:
- Almost a quarter of a million children are injured in car accidents every single year.
- Nearly 10,000 children are injured each year in non-traffic car accidents, most often as a result of a driver backing over a child or leaving a child in a vehicle unsupervised.
- One fifth of all children that die in car wrecks are killed by a drunk driver.
- Half of the children killed in drunk driving accidents died as a result of an intoxicated parent.
- Roughly 72% of child safety restraints, such as belts and car seats, are not installed correctly according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
When we think of how vulnerable our children are, the thought of them becoming victims is overwhelming. While we cannot control others’ behavior, we can at least make sure our children are safe in our own care. .
A few things parents can do to reduce the risks to their children in an Oklahoma City car accident:
- Never seat a child in front of an airbag.
- Buckle all children under 12 years old in the back seat, as close to the center of the car as possible. If a crash occurs, they will be in the safest part of the vehicle.
- Children must never be left alone in a vehicle. Children can suffocate in heated cars in as little as four minutes without sufficient ventilation.
- Child safety seats can reduce the chance of injury by almost 60%. If your child is under 5 feet tall or under 8 years old, he should be secured in a booster seat for every car ride.
- Read your child seat’s safety instructions. You may not be buckling your child in properly, or the child may have outgrown the seat.
- When exiting a driveway, check all mirrors repeatedly for children crossing behind your vehicle. Back out slowly, watching for bikes, playground equipment or other signs that children are at play. Take extra care if your view is blocked by obstructions (such as trees, hedges or signposts).
- If your child has been injured in a car accident, get immediate advice from an experienced Oklahoma City auto accident lawyer at the Buxton Law Group. Call (405) 604-5577 today to get started on your Oklahoma personal injury case.