How can a parent reduce the risk of their child suffering an injury in a motor vehicle accident?

Car accidents happen frequently in Florida and serve as a leading cause of death for children ages 12 and under.¹ The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says that in 2020, there were a total of 340,899 crashes that transpired in the state of which 3,094 were fatal and 140,085 that resulted in injuries.² Because accidents happen often and can’t always be avoided, parents need to ensure they have put the proper safety measures in place to help reduce the chances of their child sustaining an injury in the event they engage in a collision.

Ways Parents Can Reduce the Risk of Their Child Suffering an Injury in a Car Crash

There are a few things parents can be doing to protect their children from accident-related injuries. Some of these things include:

1. Ensuring the proper car seat is being used. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car seats “reduce the risk of injury in a crash by 71-82% for children when compared with seat belt use alone.” Not only should parents ensure they are using the proper car seat for their child but that it is properly installed inside their vehicle. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recommends that infants and toddlers remain in a rear-facing car seat up until they reach the weight and height limitations permitted by the manufacturer.³

1. Use the correct booster seat. Once a child has outgrown their car seat, they should then be seated in a booster seat each time they ride in a vehicle. When it comes to booster seats, they are said to reduce the risk of serious injury by 45% for children between the ages of four and eight, according to the CDC.

1. Ensure children who have outgrown their booster seats are properly buckled in. Seat belts, when properly used, save lives and reduce the risk for serious injury by half. Seat belts should always be worn and sit across a child’s chest rather than go behind them.

When a Child Suffers Injuries in a Motor Vehicle Accident in Fort Walton Beach, FL

When a child suffers an injury in a car accident, their parent(s) may be left with many questions including:

• Who should pay for the care the child now needs to have rendered?
• Can a lawsuit be filed on behalf of the child for pain and suffering?
• Is it necessary to hire a Fort Walton Beach, FL car accident lawyer?
• Can compensation still be recovered if the child’s parent was partially at fault?

Parents who would like answers to these questions and more can contact Browning Law Firm to receive an initial consultation. The FL car accident attorneys at Browning Law Firm have helped many accident victims secure favorable outcomes including a $110,000 verdict for a head-on collision and $25,000 for a rear-end crash and would be happy to help others who are in need of legal advice and representation.

Browning Law Firm can be reached at:

418 Racetrack Rd. NE, Ste B

Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547

Phone: 850-344-1736

Website: www.browninglawfirm.com

Sources:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html 
2. https://www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/crash-dashboard/ 
3. https://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20180921kidscarsafety.html