Children and car crashes: Keep precious cargo safe

Sponsored content by Treacy Colbert, Brand Ave. Studios contributing writer

Trips with your kids to and from school, day care, sporting events, play dates, birthday parties and checkups may make you feel like you live in your car. Have you checked lately to be sure your children are correctly restrained? A Centers for Disease and Control report on child passenger safety shows that more than 63,000 children were injured in vehicle accidents in 2020, and 711 children age 12 and younger were killed in 2021.

Big Auto Accident Attorneys, a national team of expert personal injury accident lawyers, has these tips on safeguarding your most precious cargo.

Buckle them up

Avoiding accidents and injuries starts with ensuring that your children are correctly restrained every time they ride in your car. Even during the rush to get to work or school or on short trips, double-check. More than one-third of the children killed were not buckled up, according to the CDC report.

Safety needs change as children grow

Kids grow out of onesies, jackets and sneakers seemingly overnight. Make sure your car seats, booster seats and seat belts match their growth spurts.

• Children starting from birth to age 4 should sit in the back seat in a rear-facing car seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat.
• Know the height and weight limits of your child’s rear-facing car seat and switch to a forward-facing seat when your child exceeds those limits.
• Use a booster seat and seat belt after your child outgrows the weight and height limit of their forward-facing car seat.
• Don’t rush your growing child’s transition from booster seat to seat belt only. The lap belt should fit across the top of your child’s thighs and not their stomach. The shoulder belt should not be off their shoulder or near their neck or face, but should fit across the center of their shoulder.

Stay away from used car seats

You might be tempted to buy a used car seat or booster seat at a garage sale or from an online exchange. However, a car seat or booster seat that’s been previously used, even if it looks brand-new, might have worn parts or hidden damage from a crash. Always invest in a new car seat and booster seat.

Car seat checkup

If you’re not sure if your child’s car seat or booster seat is installed correctly, get help from a safety expert. Check with your local police department, highway patrol or children’s hospital to find a certified child passenger safety technician near you. They’ll help you install your car seat or booster seat and ensure it fits your child properly.

Buckle yourself up

Set an example for your children by buckling up every time you drive, even if you’re going only a few blocks. When your kids reach driving age — a day that might seem distant but will come surprisingly fast — the behavior you’ve demonstrated will speak loudly.

Drinking, driving and child injuries and deaths

According to the CDC report, one-fourth of the children killed in crashes were in a vehicle with an alcohol-impaired driver, and 43% of those children were not restrained. Keep your kids safe by never getting behind the wheel when you’ve been drinking.

Do you need legal help after an accident?

If you or your children were injured in a vehicle crash, top legal help is available from Big Auto Accident Attorneys. The Big Auto national team will protect your rights and fight for you wherever you are. Call 1.844.BIG.AUTO (1.844.244.2886) or visit bigauto.com.

This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this paid post belong solely to the advertiser and do not represent the views of Brand Ave. Studios or its parent company.

Content reviewed by managing attorney, Nic Edgson. Nic has been an Arizona-licensed lawyer for more than a decade and focuses his law practice on helping people seriously injured in car accidents and truck accidents. He has represented thousands of clients and recovered more than $50 Million Dollars fighting for their injuries and medical bills. Throughout his legal career, Nic has helped those injured through some of the most difficult times in their lives.