Traveling with children—especially boisterous siblings who bicker—can be stressful. As a parent, it’s natural to worry about your child’s safety every moment of the day. Unfortunately, even moms and dads with the best intentions can make mistakes when it comes to road safety.
For example, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half of all car seats are either installed improperly or used incorrectly. In the event of a collision, an improperly installed car seat is not going to be as effective as one that is anchored to the seat securely.
Of course, car seats are not foolproof, and even those that are installed properly may not prevent injuries in a serious collision. If your family was involved in a car accident with a drunk, distracted, or reckless driver and you want to hold the liable motorist accountable, contact Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC.
You may be entitled to compensation to pay for medical bills and lost income. Call 319-393-1020 to schedule a free case evaluation with an injury lawyer in Cedar Rapids.
Read on to learn five surprising statistics about road travel with children:
- A Child Is Involved in a Car Accident Every 33 Seconds
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a car accident involving at least one child occurs every 33 seconds. Even minor collisions can be traumatizing for children, so if your family is involved in a crash, make sure your child has access to quality mental health professionals in addition to their physical health care providers.
- Car Seats and Booster Seats Save Lives
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that properly installed car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury for infants by 71 percent. They also reduce the risk of death for toddlers between the ages of 1 and 4 by 54 percent.
- A Tight Installation Is Essential
According to the NHTSA, the most common kind of error for forward-facing seats is insecure installation. Approximately 17 percent of the seats examined in a study were not installed tightly enough and could move more than two inches from side to side. Ideally, the seat should not be able to shift more than one inch in any direction after installation.
- Rear-Facing Seats Are Safer for Children Younger Than 2
Upon reviewing data from the NHTSA crash database, researchers determined that rear-facing seats are up to five times more effective at preventing serious injuries and death than forward-facing seats among children who are younger than 23 months.
- Seat Belts Save the Lives of Older Children
Once your kids grow out of their booster seats, it is essential to make sure they practice good seat belt habits. That means buckling up every time they get in a vehicle, regardless of how far they might be traveling. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury for passengers riding in the front by 45 percent.
Despite the statistics that clearly illustrate the importance of safety restraints for children of all ages, catastrophic collisions can injure even those who are wearing seat belts or riding in properly installed car seats. If your loved ones were hurt in a car accident that was not your fault, contact Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC.
Call 319-393-1020 to schedule a free consultation with an accident lawyer in Cedar Rapids. If you want to learn more about car accident claims in Iowa, visit the USAttorneys website.
