The safety belt reduces by 55% the risk of injuries after accidents
Use the belt, and always do it: both on long and short journeys, as the use of the safety belt not only prevents death in case of accident, but rThe risk of injury is 55%. This is remembered from the Spanish Pediatric Association on the occasion of the World Road Safety Week, which is held from May 4 to 10.
Pediatricians insist that, in addition to the use of seatbelts by parents, children must learn from a young age that Each means of transport has its own rules of road safety, and so understand that all must be used in all journeys, even if they are short.
Child restraint chairs, essential
In this regard, they also talk about the importance of use approved child restraints for children Therefore, although they are mandatory, their use is not always adequate: they must always be in line with the child's age and weight.
"The use of chairs and lifts in children's vehicles reduces the risk of infant mortality by 54% to 80% in the event of an accident, and these measures must also be taken into account when traveling by public transport" from the association.
The bicycles they are also another means of transportation, and as such we must use them with caution and road safety: never forget the helmet whether the children drive their tricycle or passengers in baskets or adapted chairs. In this case, helmet use can reduce the risk of brain injury by 63 to 88 percent, decreasing the risk of death by up to 36 percent.
Killed by traffic accident
From the Aeped have taken to remember that these recommendations are not nonsense: In 2013, 46 children died in traffic accidents and almost 6,000 were injured. according to data from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) mentioned by the association.
The importance of road safety education
As noted by pediatricians, road safety is much more than the helmet on the bicycle or the safety belt in the car: It is very important to teach children to keep it in mind when they are pedestrians.
For this, they recommend teach children the basic signs with those that are on the road and the meaning of the colors of the traffic light, as well as that you have to cross the zebra crossings always looking on both sides of the road.
At this point, there is something we should not forget: the example of the parents. "Parents should always keep in mind that they are an example of behavior for their children," nuances pediatricians, ensuring that we must behave correctly as both passengers and pedestrians.
Angela R. Bonachera
