Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Children are ferried about by car from a young age. In Hollywood and across Florida, it’s how most children get to school, doctor’s appointments, activities, and everywhere else. Being a passenger in a car is also the most dangerous part of a child’s typical day.
Each year, some children in Florida find their futures permanently changed by a serious crash. Even with airbags and other safety features, cars still pose a serious risk for children. Children can crash into the back seat, can be thrown around, and can be seriously injured in any car accident. Young children may not know to cover their heads or to brace themselves in a collision, which can cause serious damage.
Protecting Child Passengers
No one can predict when a Hollywood car crash will take place. If you are a parent or caretaker, you can of course drive defensively, put away distractions, and take other steps to reduce the risk of a car accident in the first place. However, you’ll also want to take these additional steps:
- Always place your children in age- and weight-appropriate child seats. Keep infants in rear-facing child seats and children in forward-facing child seats until their weight and height require a booster seat.
- Seat children in the back. Older children who no longer need a child seat are still safest in the back seat. It provides the most protection in case of a crash.
- Never keep loose items in the car. Anything in your can become airborne during a crash and slam into your child. House keys, a purse, a laptop, a phone, and anything else that’s not tethered down can seriously harm a child passenger. Try to keep these items to a minimum.
- Supervise children. Make sure children aren’t sticking their hands out the windows, operating controls on the door, or distracting the driver.
- Never leave children alone in a car. Just a few minutes in the Florida sun can be fatal, even with the windows cracked. In addition, if anyone steals your car they can kidnap your children, as well.
- Check your back seats when you get out of the car. Each year, terrible tragedies happen when parents or caregivers forget and leave a child alone in the back of a car. The fatality rate for such situations is very high. Get into the habit of checking in the back seat every time you leave your car. In situations where your routine is changed (this is when these tragedies happen most often) this simple habit could save a life.
Contact Flaxman Law Group if Your Child is Injured
If your child is seriously injured in a Hollywood car crash, it’s important to speak to an experienced Hollywood car accident claims attorney. Your child’s future could be permanently affected by a serious injury. They could lose weeks or months of school and if their injury is permanent it can affect their career prospects and their medical costs forever. Getting fair compensation for your child’s injuries now is important to protect their future and to get them the best medical treatment possible.
Insurance companies will often try to minimize claims because the long-term cost of childhood injuries is so high. To protect your child’s rights, call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626 as soon as possible after the accident. We can set up a consultation with a Hollywood car injury claims attorney who can review your options. Our family-based law firm is passionate about seeking justice and financial recovery for child survivors and we’ve worked with thousands of individuals and families to help them file claims.