May 22, 2008 4:20 PM
Preventing driveway deaths in children
I've been thinking.
When we say that God will use all things for good, part of the resopnsibility then falls on us to do our part to make that happen.
Our responsibility in the fact of the Chapman family tragedy - besides praying for comfort for their family - is to make sure we do all we can to strengthen and protect our own.
The strengthen piece is found in my last post, intended to draw parents' hearts closer to their children.
The protect piece follows - information on Driveway safety. Way too many children are killed each year - by members of their own families. SUVs seem to be especially dangerous because of blind spots. I hope the following will make us all more vigilant and will help prevent other tragedies.
I know a mother who lost a child when she backed over him in their church parking lot. I've always had a fear of this, but God knows I'm often in a hurry and there but for the grace of God go I.
Every year, thousands of children are hurt or die because a driver backing up didn't see them. These incidents for the most part take place in residential driveways or parking lots.* The predominant age of victims was one year olds. (12-23 months)
* Over 60% of backing up incidents involved a larger size vehicle. (truck, van, SUV)
* Tragically, in over 70% of these incidents, a parent or close relative is behind the wheel.
* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2/18/05 study reports over 2400 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms every year due a child being struck by or rolled over by a vehicle moving in reverse.In the U.S. fifty children are being backed over by vehicles EVERY week. Forty-eight are treated in hospital emergency rooms and at least two children are fatality injured every WEEK.
This problem is only going to get worse unless we work for better visibility behind the vehicles we drive. The government does not have any regulations about what you should be able to see behind a vehicle. Because we are driving larger, longer and higher vehicles we are seeing many more backover incidents.
KIDS AND CARS urges all adults to heighten their awareness before they engage a vehicle into reverse; especially when children are present. Young children are impulsive and unpredictable; still have very poor judgment, and little understanding of danger. In addition, young children do not recognize boundaries such as property lines, sidewalks, driveways or parking spaces. Toddlers have established independent mobility between the ages of 12-23 months, but the concept of personal safety is absent. Backovers are often the predictable consequence of a child following a parent into the driveway and stand behind their vehicle without their knowledge.
Backovers can happen in any vehicle because all vehicles have a blind zone; the area behind a vehicle you can’t see from the driver’s seat. The danger tends to increase with larger vehicles.
It’s always best to look carefully behind the vehicle before you get in and again before you put the car in gear to back up. Remember to back up slowly, and pay attention to your mirrors.
KIDS AND CARS recommendations to keep children safe include:
· Walk around and behind a vehicle prior to moving it.
· Know where your kids are. Make children move away from your vehicle to a place where they are in full view before moving the car and know that another adult is properly supervising children before moving your vehicle.
· Teach children that “parked” vehicles might move. Let them know that they can see the vehicle; but the driver might not be able to see them.
· Consider installing cross view mirrors, audible collision detectors, rear view video camera and/or some type of back up detection device.
· Measure the size of your blind zone (area) behind the vehicle(s) you drive. A 5-foot-1-inch driver in a pickup truck can have a rear blind zone of approximately 8 feet wide by 50 feet long.
· Be aware that steep inclines and large SUV’s, vans and trucks add to the difficulty of seeing behind a vehicle.
· Hold children’s hand when leaving the vehicle.
· Teach your children to never play in, around or behind a vehicle and always set the emergency brake.
· Keep toys and other sports equipment off the driveway.
· Homeowners should trim landscaping around the driveway to ensure they can see the sidewalk, street and pedestrians clearly when backing out of their driveway. Pedestrians also need to be able to see a vehicle pulling out of the driveway.
· Never leave children alone in or around cars; not even for a minute.
· Keep vehicles locked at all times; even in the garage or driveway and always set your parking brake.
· Keys and/or remote openers should never be left within reach of children.
· Make sure all child passengers have left the car after it is parked.
· Be especially careful about keeping children safe in and around cars during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays.
These precautions can save lives.
For additional information, visit the KIDS AND CARS website.
Posted in Preschoolers, Safety, Toddlers | Permalink
Comments
Oprah is doing a show on Friday about this very thing. It is a partial repeat/follow-up she did on a couple of families. Such a huge tragedy, and one I worry about as I back up my huge 12 passenger van. I try to always walk around the van before backing up if all the kids aren't with me...even then we try to do a roll call.
Posted by: Jill S | May 22, 2008 5:45 PM
Barbara,
As a mother of 2 year old twins this is especially important info. I always want to sit the family down and remind them of this. But then I feel like a fool and sound bossy. But on Memorial Day when we are all together I am going to announce this and have these tips printed out. I am forever diligent about knowing where my kids are at all times because I have to load them up seperately when dad is at work. Again thank you for the reminder and we are keeping the Chapmans in our thoughts and prayers. Especially their son.
-Shannon in Austin
Posted by: Shannon Best | May 23, 2008 12:07 PM
