Hasbro/RI Hospital: 14 Ways to Keep Kids Road-Safe
Saturday, April 09, 2011
With a recent increase in hospital admissions of children involved in motor vehicle crashes, as well as pedestrians hit by cars – all preventable injuries, the Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital is urging parents and children to use caution and stay safe when walking near roadways, or riding in or operating a vehicle.
Over the past month, several children were admitted to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital emergency department with injuries sustained during motor vehicle crashes. Some of these children were unrestrained passengers and sustained significant injuries to the face and head. Other children were admitted following being struck by a vehicle while walking and suffered serious injuries requiring admission to the intensive care unit.
Keep children safe while out walking:
- Always cross a street at a crosswalk, if possible
- Obey traffic and crossing signals.
- Look left, right and left again before crossing a street.
- Always walk on sidewalks if they are available. If there is no sidewalk, walk against the traffic as far to the left as possible.
- Always pay attention when walking. Do not text or listen to music.
- If out walking after dark, make it easier for cars to see you. Dress in light colored clothing, use reflectors or flashlights.
Safety tips for drivers
- You can encounter pedestrians anytime and anywhere - even in places where they are not supposed to be found.
- Pedestrians can be very hard to see - especially in bad weather or at night. You must keep a lookout and slow down if you can't see clearly.
- When entering a crosswalk area, drive slowly and be prepared to stop.
- Stop for pedestrians who are in a crosswalk, even if it is not marked. When you stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, stop well back so that drivers in the other lanes can also see the pedestrian in time to stop.
- Do not overtake and pass other vehicles stopped for pedestrians.
- When you are turning, you often will have to wait for a "gap" in traffic. Beware that while you are watching for that "gap," pedestrians may have moved into your intended path.
- Take some extra time when making a right turn on red to make sure there are no pedestrians crossing the street.
- Be especially attentive around schools and in neighborhoods where children are active.
The Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital also urges the importance of using the appropriate child restraints and making sure that they are correctly installed in vehicles. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for children under the age of 14, with the CDC citing 968 children killed and approximately 168,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2008.
Child restraints crucial
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released its new policy statement regarding child restraints. The most significant change in the new guidelines is that children should remain in a rear-facing child restraint until they reach two years of age or the maximum weight/height for the seat. Children should then be in a forward-facing seat until approximately four years of age and 40 pounds, or up to the maximum weight limit of the car seat. Booster seats should be used until a child is 4’9” tall, which is usually between the ages of 8 and 12. All children under the age of 13 should be restrained in a rear seating position in the vehicle.
A properly used child restraint can reduce the risk of death or severe injury by as much as 70 percent. Any parents with questions about passenger safety or those who need help installing a car seat can call their local police or fire department, or call the Injury Prevention Center at 444-5018. These safety tips and more information can be found online here.
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