How to Protect Your Child in the Event of a Car Accident

We depend on automobiles to get every day, but never really consider how dangerous driving can be. It is never enjoyable thinking or planning for a worst-case scenario such as a car accident. However, both proper planning and prevention can make a huge difference in protecting your family.

Car crashes often cause severe injuries or even death to passengers, especially little children. Children are much more vulnerable than adults, because severe injuries can result in growth and development problems.

Steps to Keep Your Child Safe 

If you are driving a vehicle with your child as a passenger, there are various precautions you can make to protect him or her including:

• Instruct your child on proper passenger safety from a young age. Make sure your child knows not to open car doors without permission, leave his or her seat for any reason, stick his or her hand outside the window, divert the driver’s attention away from the road, or participate in any activities that may lead to an accident.
• Explain to your child the dangers of driving. Fatal car accidents are an everyday occurrence. Make sure your child knows that driving is not a leisure activity and that crashes can have serious consequences.  
• Do not entrust your child in the car with just anyone. If your child is being driven around by others, such as caregivers, make sure that they drive safe, do not drink and drive, and obey all speed limits. It is important to not let your child in the car with an unsafe driver.
• Keep your child in the backseat. Overall, the back seat will protect your child the most in the event of an accident. Even if your child is older, he or she will be safer in the backseat.
• Make sure your car stays clean. In the event of an accident, every loose article in your car can become a powerful projectile and be forcefully flung. Thus, it is important to keep loose items in your car to a minimum. Also, you should clean your car and remove all trash on a regular basis.
• Make good use of all safety features. Get in the habit of using any additional safety features that your car has to protect passengers such as child locks. When purchasing a vehicle look for one with solid safety features and high crash safety ratings.
• Always require a seatbelt regardless of the child’s age.
• Have a plan for your children to follow in case of an accident. Teaching your child to act fast and rational, when in an adrenaline pumping accident, can protect him or her.

Checking on Your Child After a Car Crash 

After a car accident, your number one priority should be preventing any further harm or a secondary crash. It is important to get into a safe zone asap. For example, if you were involved in a fender bender, pull over to the side of the road, because staying in the middle of the road greatly intensifies the risk of being hit again. If you are unable to move the car, call 911 and wait for the paramedics to arrive.

Additionally, if your child is seriously injured wait for the paramedics to arrive before moving them. It is important to be very cautious because children may be unable to effectively communicate the seriousness of their injuries. You need to make certain that your child’s injuries are diagnosed and treated asap. 

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

A knowledgeable and skilled car accident attorney can assist you or a loved one that has been injured as a result of an automobile accident in Florida.

At Roman & Roman, we know that being involved in an automobile accident, especially with a child in the car, can be a very traumatic and devastating experience. Your child is dependent on you to take action and protect his or her right to recovery. You should hire a skilled Clearwater car accident attorney who is experienced with litigating car accident cases.

Our personal injury attorneys have over 100 years of combined legal experience and millions of dollars recovered on behalf of our clients, you can depend on our team to aggressive fight to secure the compensation you are entitled to. When you want results, contact us online, or call at 877-767-1032, for a free consultation regarding your car accident case. We have offices in Clearwater, Hudson and Tampa, Florida.

Resource:

saferide4kids.com/blog/child-injured-someone-elses-car/