Car accidents involving cars on the road injure children, but some child car injuries in Hollywood are caused by vehicles accidentally set in motion. When children are left alone in a car, they tend to explore and can manage to start the vehicle and cause it to roll forward or backward. If the car is parked on a hill or a slope, the vehicle can roll towards another vehicle, towards traffic, or towards a tree or solid object. A vehicle set in motion with child passengers can cause devastating head injuries, fractures, and other serious injuries.
Most cars made after 2006 have a BTSI (brake transmission shift interlock system), which means the driver has to engage the brake to get the car out of park. This can help prevent vehicles accidentally set in motion, but children can still accidentally set a car in motion. Older cars do not have BTSI and are a risk.
Even if you have a car with a BTSI, you cannot be too complacent. Children can still learn how to set a vehicle in motion by watching you drive. In addition, by simply trying different levels and different buttons on the car, children may inadvertently start the car and set it in motion. To prevent injuries to children caused by this type of accident, you will want to:
- Get into the habit of engaging the emergency brake. Setting your emergency brake after parking reduces the risk because many children do not know how to set the emergency brake.
- Never leave children alone in or around the car. One of the most important steps you can take is to never leave children unsupervised around cars. Natural curiosity can cause children to explore and this can land them in a great deal of trouble. Be especially careful about where you place keys. If you place keys underneath your car or in your car because you tend to forget them, it can be all too easy for children to get them and to start the vehicle. You’re also putting yourself at greater risk of car theft. Always keep keys locked and well away from children if you have little ones.
- Starting when they are young, teach children cars are not toys. Children may be taken to school and to activities in cars, and cars are a part of the everyday routine for many families, so many children grow up without a fear of vehicles. While you don’t want your children to be fearful of cars, you do want them to have a healthy respect for these machines. Starting when they are young, talk to children about car safety and don’t just lecture them. Really ask them for their ideas on keeping themselves safe and talk to them about all the possible dangers that cars can pose for kids. This can help keep children actively involved in making smart choices when it comes to cars and safety.
If your child has been injured in a car accident or by someone’s negligence or recklessness in Hollywood or anywhere in South Florida, get in touch with a Hollywood car accident attorney by contacting Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN). Your first consultation with us is free and comes with no obligation, so you risk nothing getting legal advice and representation about your situation.