According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car crashes are the leading cause of death for children. They also happen to be the most preventable reason that kids die.
CDC data shows that children 12-year-old and younger are particularly vulnerable to being hurt or killed in car crashes. In 2016, some 128,000 kids from this age group were injured in motor vehicle accidents. Another 723 lost their lives in them.
A study published in the Journal of Safety Research in 2010 showcased how over 600,000 parents fail to place their children in the proper booster or car seats or fail to require them to wear a seat belt when riding in their vehicle. It, therefore, shouldn’t come as a surprise that 35 percent of those children ages zero through 12 who die in car crashes in 2016 were found to have been improperly restrained.
CDC data published in 2016 shows that those children most likely to ride in a car without a seat belt are those between the age of 8 and 12. At least 48 percent of those who were polled failed to wear their seat belts. Some 21 percent of children under the age of 4 and 33 percent of those 4 to 7 admitted to not wearing a seat belt.
The CDC’s data shows that between 2009 and 2010, 46 percent of Hispanic and 45 percent of African-American kids were found to have been improperly buckled up. This compares with only 26 percent of Caucasian children.
Researchers found that kids’ seat belt use was largely contingent upon the adult driver’s choice to wear one. In fact, they found that 40 percent of those kids who rode in the car with an adult who didn’t wear one were less apt to use one when it came time to do so.
Waco parents, you owe it to your son or daughter to protect your child now. Texas caregivers shouldn’t rely on children to do as they’re taught but instead should double check to make sure that they do. If your son or daughter has been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, then you’ll want to consult with a child injuries attorney who will let you know what your legal options are.
Michael Zimmerman
Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.
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