According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC), school-related child injuries in Hollywood and other communities are more prevalent than previously thought:
•There are over 53 million school-aged children across the country, and they spend about a quarter of their waking hours on school property or in school and school activities.
•Each year, about 14 million preventable injuries affect children under the age of 15 and about 10-25% of these injuries occur in or near schools.
•Each year, about one of 14 pupils sustains a serious injury at school.
•For elementary school students, playground injuries account for most serious injuries while for high school students, sports-related injuries account for most serious injuries
•Students are nine times more likely to be injured in a non-intentional injury at school than be injured through violence or bullying at school
•Each year, about 2.2 million children under the age of 15 sustain fatal school-related injuries
•Of school related injuries that require hospitalization, falls are the most likely culprit, accounting for 43% of these incidents while sports account for about 34% of these types of injuries
•About 40% of playground injuries at schools are linked to lack of supervision
•About 60% of sports-related child injuries take place during practices (not the actual games)
•About 75% of school-related spinal cord injuries in Hollywood and across the country take place during sports.
•About 40% of school bus accident fatalities in Hollywood and other communities involve pedestrians. Many of these fatalities – 38% occur between 3 and 4 pm – and the majority occur in the afternoon. More than half of children involved in these types of fatal pedestrian accidents in Hollywood and other communities are between the ages of 5 and 7.
•About 90% of non-fatal school bus injuries involve bus passengers
Preventing child injuries at school begins with the families and the schools. Parents can teach their children basic safety rules and encourage children to use basic common sense. Beyond that, parents can:
•Ask school administrators to ensure softer surfaces under playground equipment. Fine sand, rubber, and hardwood chips or fiver mulch can help prevent injury, but the soft surface needs to be at least 12 inches deep and should go about 6 feet or more past the equipment.
•Supervise children at school when possible and ensure that adequate supervision is in place.
•Get your child good safety gear for sports and replace it as needed.
•Get children to the bus stop early and teach them how to watch for cars and the driver’s blind spot. Younger children should be supervised at the bus stop until they are safely on board the bus and have safely disembarked.
•Seek legal advice from a personal injury attorney in Hollywood or their community if they child has been injured.
If your child has been injured in a school-related activity or in the classroom, contact the Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation to review the facts of your case and your options. Your first consultation costs nothing and comes with no obligation. It is your chance to review your case with a personal injury attorney – before you make any decisions that could affect your child’s future.