Safety at the wheel: how to prevent traffic accidents in the family car
The safety of children is something that every parent cares about. Ensuring the integrity of the smallest of the house is a matter that every adult should try. There are many ways that these mishaps occur, from falls down the stairs, to burns with boiling water or traffic accidents while traveling with the family car.
In fact, as stated in the Parent Guide prepared by the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, AEP, and the MAPFRE Foundation, in the European Union the highest number of deaths among children between 5 and 18 years they are produced by unintentional injuries. And within this category, traffic accidents rank as the second most frequent cause of these incidents.
Danger on the road
As this report reveals, approximately one 23'7% of unintentional injuries suffered by children are traffic accidents. Whether as a victim of a hit or being in a damaged vehicle, children face more than one risk related to these means of transport when they go out.
The last Health Survey, which collects the data of the last five years, reflects the great danger that has the smallest traffic accidents. These are the number of mishaps in each age group in the minors, including both abuses and others within the family vehicle:
- 0-4 years: 7,800 accidents.
- 5-14 years: 28,600 accidents.
- 15-24 years: 113,100 accidents.
Prevention of traffic accidents
"There are many and complicated elements who are involved in a traffic accident ", indicate the people in charge of this report, who divide in two the possible causes of this type of mishaps:
- Immediate causes. They are the main cause and intervene in the accident directly. Some examples are: traffic infractions, excessive speed or inadequate speed, deficiencies in perception, errors to avoid collision, consumption of substances, etc.
- Mediated causes. These are circumstances that influence an accident to occur, although they are not directly related. An example of these causes are: braking, suspension and steering of the vehicle, the layout and poor condition of the road surface, atmospheric phenomena, etc.
For to prevent Both causes, those responsible for this study indicate several road safety tips in order to reduce the number of mishaps occurred on roads and streets throughout the country.
Drivers:
- Do not drive after having consumed alcohol, drugs or drugs capable of interfering with driving abilities due to drowsiness, loss of reflexes, etc.
- Always respect the maximum speed and even run at least in certain situations such as children's transit areas or when there is fog or the roadway is frozen.
- Avoid double parking at the exit of the schools because in this way the visibility of some children when crossing the road is reduced and they may not notice a danger.
- Always keep the safety distance.
- Always use the safety belt for children to take an example.
- Ensure that children use the mandatory restraint systems and adapt them to the height of each child.
- Give some directions to children through a talk in which it is clear that they should avoid distracting the driver.
Pedestrians:
- Always cross the pedestrian crossings and note that the traffic light is green for the person walking. Always look both ways to make sure that there is no driver that breaks this regulation.
- Extreme caution when passing through areas such as garage exits.
- It is always better to walk than to run and distraction elements such as walking with a toy or smartphone should be avoided.
- At the time of playing in the park, it should be clear the area where they can be and that they can not pass without the help of an adult. In case the ball escapes, it must be an adult who looks for it while another one is supervising them.
Damián Montero
