As back to school season is upon us, many parents are planning to go shopping to get books, notebooks, laptops, and other necessities for the classroom. However, this is also a good time of year to focus on school injury awareness and to help prevent these childhood injuries in Hollywood or your South Florida community.
School injuries can happen at anytime. They are common during drop off and pickup times at school, in sports activities and after school activities, and on field trips. While most parents send their children off to school with the expectation that their kids will be safe and that school authorities will do everything possible to keep their child safe, this is not always the case.
Each year, children in Hollywood, across Florida, and across the country are injured and even killed when taking part in gym class, after school activities, or even during the classroom time. There are few ways you can keep your child safer:
- Plan ahead for school trips: School trips are a challenge because they take children outside of their usual structured routine and may expose children to new dangers. If your child is going on school trips this year, carefully consider what dangers they may face and plan ahead. You may want to volunteer to take part in a school trip or you may want to check museums or other venues for their safety systems. Many museums outline their security measures online.
- Consider safety for getting to and from school: For children, car accidents and pedestrian accidents on the way to and from school are a serious concern. If your child will be walking to school, work together to develop a safe route and check to make sure that the route hasn’t been affected by construction or other hazards. If you’re dropping your child off and picking them up, make sure you know where drop off and pick up zones are and evaluate them for safety.
- Teach your kids about safety: Make sure your children are aware of safety rules and know how to stay safe. Encourage your children to follow directions offered by teachers and to refuse any activities which makes them feel unsafe.
- Get serious about bullies: Bullies are a serious concern for school age children. They can hamper self esteem and pose a serious risk when it comes to assault and physical violence which can lead to head injuries, fractures, and permanent injuries. Make sure your child’s school has a zero-tolerance bullying policy and talk to your child about bullying and how to avoid it. Make sure your child feels comfortable talking to you and other family members about any bullying which may be happening in school. If your child reports bullying, make sure the school is doing something about it. Speak to an attorney if your child’s school is not taking adequate precautions or action.
- Get your kids ready for sports: If your child has been sedentary for much of the summer and suddenly goes back to sports or gym class in school, they may not have the physical strength to avoid injuries. Consider easing your child back into a fitness routine or talk to your child’s doctor about preventing sports injuries in gym class and on the field. Make sure your child has the training and coaching they need to succeed in sports safely and check their safety and sports equipment, including helmets, to make sure they are ready for the new year.
If your child has been injured, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) any time for a free accident consultation with a Hollywood childhood injury attorney. We can advise you on whether you may have a claim and can explain next steps to you.