Car Accidents as Leading Cause of Childhood Deaths

A little girl bounds off to her family car, ready to settle in for a short trip to the grocery store. Her mother was in the middle of making her lunch and realized that she needed some important items. While on the road, they are hit head on by a man who just so happened to look down at his phone because a text came in, and killed the child and injured the mother. Unfortunately, this is the scene playing out all across America at alarming rates. It is important to understand exactly just how widespread of an issue this is, why it is such a huge issue, and what can be done to reduce the frequency of these occurrences.

Facing the Problem

Car accidents which can have also been classified as unintentional injuries is the leading cause of death among children ages one and up, beating out both cancer and suicide, which also have been rising at alarming rates. According to the latest research by the CDC, more than 650 million children aged twelve and under died as the result of a motor vehicle collision, with an astounding 148,000 being injured. For such tragedies to be occurring at the high rate in which it is happening, the question becomes, what is the common denominator? Why are children not surviving car crashes?

In one study conducted by the CDC, it was found that in course of a year, more than 618,000 children ages twelve and under rode in a motor vehicle without a seatbelt or car seat at least some of the time. Of the more than 650 million children were died in car crashes in 2011, 33% of these not were not restrained in a proper seat or belt.

Why Such a Huge Issue?

Other than the obvious implications of children dying untimely deaths in motor vehicles, there are other facts which should be considered. For one, the question of adult culpability comes into question. When a person becomes licensed to drive a motor vehicle, they are told that it is a responsibility, not a right. As such, it is the responsibility of the person operating the vehicle to make sure that the children in their care are properly secured.

The fact that this is not happening raises questions of if charges should be able to be filed against people who are carrying children in their vehicles without having them restrained properly. There have been instances where people have been brought up on charges when unintentional manslaughter comes into play, but on the part of the person driving the other vehicle. Should people who allow children not be in a car unrestrained or improperly restrained be held accountable as well? Some critics feel that they should to send a message of the importance of this issue as well as how far-reaching it’s effects can be. Many times, the adults driving the vehicles are surviving and having to attend the funerals of children who are dying in their care.

One such fatal incident occurred on February 18, 2014. A 21-year-old mother was driving her 4-year-old vehicle around 11:30 am. The mother went around a curve, possible more quickly than she should manage. The right side of her vehicle hit the guard rail. The guard rail entered the car through the windshield, killing the girl on impact. The mother sustained injuries that left her in critical yet stable conditions. This case was so horrific. This was a case where there was no other car involved. There was no information indicating whether or not the mother contributed to this in any way other than her increased speed, but whether or not the girl was in a proper car seat is an unanswered question.

Be Informed

Surprisingly, much of the problem of children not being put in proper car seats can be contributed to the lack of information that most have on what is considered the proper restraints at each age. Learning these laws (because they are in fact laws, not suggestions) and how to select an appropriate car seat can help lower the elevated statistics on children dying in car accidents.

It is important first to note a couple of things. For one, no children under the age of thirteen should ever be allowed to sit in the front seat. The front seat has an airbag that, when deployed on a child, can cause major injury, even causing death.

There are definitive types of chairs meant for children at each developmental age. Children two and under (or children who way the maximum weight meant for the seat) should be kept in a rear-facing car seat. Parents or caregivers have been known to feel that a child would be uncomfortable in a rear-facing position or they are “bored” since they cannot see anything in front of them. Given the fact that death is a possibility, this should not be placed as a priority. Children ages two to five (or children who way the maximum weight meant for the seat) should be buckled into a forward- facing car seat. Children age five and up should be kept in a booster chair until they are able to sit properly restrained by a safety belt. Children should be at least 57 inches tall before attempting to use the car seat belt. A seat belt is properly fitted when the lap belt runs on top of the thighs and the shoulder belt is across the chest.

It is important to make sure that the seat gets installed properly, so taking care to view the manual is essential. Do not rely on memory of using seats in the past. Some brands are different and adjustments need to be made. Placing the chair in the middle of the back seat is the safest place possible for a child.

Also, the parent or caregiver should take care to wear his or her seat belt on every car ride. Not only will this set an example for the child, but it will also make sure that, in the event of an accident, injuries sustained will not be as bad.