How Can Car Crashes in Fort Lauderdale Involving Children Be Reduced?

Children are our most precious cargo, which is why they need to be protected, especially as passengers in moving motor vehicles. Car crashes in Fort Lauderdale can happen at any second, so it’s important that parents are doing everything they can to protect their children on Florida roadways, including:

• Getting the right child safety seat for your child’s age and size. It’s important that parents check their children’s car seats often for fit as children continue to grow and could be in need of another car seat sooner than expected. Every car seat is different and has a different set of maximum height and weight guidelines, which is why it is important to know your child’s height and weight and what the maximum requirements are from the manufacturer.

• Making sure the car seat is installed properly. One of the biggest reasons for child-related car crash deaths is because car seats aren’t secured correctly and used properly. There are places such as the fire department that parents can go to get their car seats checked out. Make sure you do this. It could mean a matter between the life and death of your child.

• Double checking children are buckled in. Many times one parent will assume that the other parent buckled the child in, or parents will entrust that their older children will fasten their own seat belts; however, it is critical to a child’s safety that parents double check seat belts and car seat buckles are fastened before stepping on the gas pedal.

• Not texting or talking on the phone while driving. Not only is this considered distracted driving, which increases your chances of being in a car accident, but it teaches your children from a young age that texting and talking while operating a moving motor vehicle is okay. Because you wouldn’t want them participating in this behavior, you should refrain from doing it too.

• Not turning around to check on them or discipline them. Every parent does this at one point or another, whether it is to console a crying baby, give a child a snack, or attempt to stop an argument between two children. Although this is a common practice amongst parents, it is dangerous and could lead to a crash. For this reason, it is best to pull over when it is safe to do so and tend to your children.

Even if you do all of these things and drive safely to protect your children other drivers might be participating in distracted driving or other negligent driving behaviors. If your children were injured in a collision, you need to be their voice and seek justice on their behalf. Find out about pursuing their legal rights by calling the Law Offices of David Benenfeld to speak with an experienced accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale in a free case consultation today at 866-9 HELP NOW or 866-943-5766.