There is nothing more terrifying for a parent than a childhood injury. Each year, hundreds of thousands of children across the US are admitted to emergency rooms with childhood injuries. In many cases, these injuries are preventable. While parents can’t do everything to prevent simple accidents, experts agree that there are many things that parents can do:
1) Avoid distracted parenting. Research has proven it: just as distracted driving often leads to Florida car accidents, distracted parenting can make parents make mistakes. Parenting is a stressful job, which is why it is important that parents take good care of themselves and get help when needed. Help and support ensure that parents are rested and ready to be vigilant about safety.
2) Know what your children are doing – and where they are. Whether you keep a list of your child’s friends and phone numbers on hand or use a cell phone to easily communicate with your child, knowing what your child is up to and taking an active interest in their life is important. This allows you to notice and target any behaviors that can lead to an injury. Knowing that your child is not wearing a helmet while biking, for example, is the first step to having a talk about the importance of preventing Florida brain injuries and bicycle accidents.
3) Secure the pool. If you have a pool, use a self-locking gate, pool cover, and alarm system to ensure that no child can wander into the pool area. Unfortunately, Florida pool drownings and injuries are a common cause of childhood injuries and fatalities across the state.
4) Avoid Florida car accidents and car accident injuries. Children spend a lot of time in cars, being ferried to school and activities. In fact, car accidents are a leading cause of death for children of all ages. In a car accident, children are more likely to be flung about and ejected from their seat, unless they are wearing the correct safety restraints. As well, children are more likely to be injured by adult seat belts and air bags in an accident. Invest in a good, age-appropriate safety restraint and use it faithfully each time your children are in the car.
5) Secure windows. Each year, Florida children are seriously injured and even killed in falls from windows. Whether you live in a high-rise apartment or a two-storey home, securing windows with bars or gates is important to ensure that children cannot climb onto the window ledge and fall.
6) Do a safety audit of your home. It is important to periodically check the safety of your home with a walk-through. Create a simple check list that you can use to check for basic safety items and concerns. For example, if you have very small children you may want to check that all electrical outlets are covered. You will want to check that your fire alarms are operational and that all aerosols and chemicals are stored in a safe and locked area.
If your child has been injured due to a product defect or someone’s negligence, contact the Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation about your case. The Flaxman Law Group has offices conveniently located in Hollywood, Miami, and Homestead. Our legal team is proud to have served the South Florida community for more than two decades.