Motor Vehicle safety

by Sparky
August 30, 2009

 

 

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths for children 14 and under with almost 2,000 death in 2005. Inappropriately restrained children are nearly three and a half times more likely to be seriously injured in motor vehicle-related crashes. In 2007, more than 178,000 children ages 14 and under were injured occupants in a motor vehicle crash.
 

Riding in a motor vehicle

• Children ages 12 and under should ride buckled up in the back seat in a child safety seat, booster seat or safety belt.
• Infants should ride in a rear-facing infant seat until they are at least one-year old and weight at least 20 pounds.
• Use a convertible or forward facing safety seat until the child outgrows it – up to about four and when the child weights 40 pounds.
• All children who have outgrown child safety seats should be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least eight years old, unless they are 4-feet 9 inches tall. Adult safety belts alone do not sufficiently protect children weighting less than 80 pounds form injury in a crash. Children can’t ride comfortably and remain properly restrained until they are tall enough for the knees to bend over the edge of the seat when their backs are resting firmly against the back seat. If the should portion of the lap-shoulder belt comes across the neck, rather than the chest, they should be in a booster seat.

 

Bus safety for children

• While waiting for the bus, take five giant steps form the curb until the bus has stopped completely.
• Stay seated at all times.
• Keep head, arms and hands inside the bus. Never throw anything out of the bus window.
• Always hold on to the bus handrails to prevent falling.
• Be careful that clothing, book bags, and key rings don’t get caught in the handrails or doors.
• When getting off the bus, take five giant steps away from the bus, and stay on the sidewalk.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus drive. Otherwise, the bus driver may not be able to see you.

 

Source: Sparky      NFPA

 

Editor’s Note:  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) (12/17/08). 

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