seoNinja

Common injuries children sustain in auto accidents

The majority of America’s population drives a great many miles every single day and every one of those miles brings the risk of accident. Fortunately, we by and large get where we’re going without incident. On the other hand, traffic accidents remain a leading cause of serious injury and even death, especially among children.

At Veeva Chiropractic Clinic, we understand that as parents, we strive to protect our children from numerous everyday dangers. However, ironically, we buckle them into cars and drive right into potential danger day in and day out. Sadly, many of these trips end in tragedy for our cherished children, who sustain injuries despite safety precautions.

children sustain from traffic accidents

Consider these alarming facts from 2016 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • In the United States, 723 children ages 12 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes and more than 128,000 were injured.
  • More than 618,000 children ages 0-12 rode in vehicles without the use of a child safety seat or booster seat or a seat belt at least some of the time.
  • Of the children ages 12 years and younger who died in a crash in 2016 (for which restraint use was known), 35 percent were not buckled up.

The result of statistics like this is a host of serious injuries:

Common auto accident injuries in children

Traffic accidents cause a variety of injuries in children of different ages. For children under age 8, head injuries are the most common. These include concussions, skull fractures, lacerations, and contusions.

Thoracic injuries are also common and due to child restraint safety belts, most often affected children under 12 months of age.

Other common injuries include bone breakage, injury from broken glass, whiplash, various head trauma, and psychological trauma. Some of these injuries, such as whiplash, may appear benign immediately after an accident but flare up the next day with effects lasting a very long time.

Tips for preventing child injury

Plenty of studies show that children sustain grave injuries or even fatalities despite being secured in a safety seat. However, the best course of action is to ensure a child is properly secured in an appropriate car seat. Additionally, it is critical for drivers to remain vigilant at all times. While it’s tempting to become distracted or engage with your child, your primary responsibility is their safety. Stay focused and attentive while driving.

Drive a vehicle with up-to-date safety features like side air bags, anti-lock brakes, and stability control. And don’t drive long hours or any time you feel tired.

Stay alert and stay safe.

For more child safety traffic accident tips and information, contact Veeva Chiropractic Clinic at ((503) 782-6108.