As parents, it is our duty to protect our curious little ones from the unseen dangers that vehicles pose. Even in familiar settings like driveways or parking garages, risks like frontovers and backovers lurk, often with tragic outcomes. These incidents, where children are accidentally hit because they’re in the driver’s blind spot, are alarmingly common and can be deadly. In fact, kidsandcars.org highlights some sobering statistics:
- Frontovers cause around 366 deaths and 15,000 injuries yearly. (1)
- Large vehicles (trucks, vans, SUVs) are involved in 75% of these cases.
- Sadly, 61% involve a parent or familiar person behind the wheel, and 93% of victims are under 6 years old.
Children don’t fully grasp these hazards. Their unpredictable actions, like running towards a car or playing around it, increase the risk. So, it’s crucial to actively ensure their safety:
- Always supervise children when cars are moving around your home.
- Walk around your vehicle to check for kids or pets before driving.
- Never let young children navigate parking lots unattended – use strollers or carts.
- Discourage playing in driveways or lots unsupervised.
- Consider alarm systems for doors leading outside as an extra precaution.
- Be extra vigilant during busy times, holidays, and schedule changes.
- Remember, it takes just a moment for an accident to happen, but the impact can last a lifetime. Let’s keep our little ones safe.
#ChildSafety #VehicleAwareness #ParentingTips
Article references:
www.kidsandcars.org/frontovers/charts-data-and-visuals
(1) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration April 2018 report, DOT HS 812515
