Help Protect Your Children in a Car Accident
By Jim Hurley
Motor vehicle accidents happen every day. Unfortunately, the drivers in these car crashes often have young children in their cars or trucks. These children need to be protected in these auto accidents so as to eliminate or minimize the possible injuries to the kids. The drivers of these vehicles should be aware of the following three things to help protect the children.
Firstly, one of the most important things any driver can do is to be sure that all appropriately aged children have a proper car seat that is attached to the motor vehicle in the right way. No excuse exists not to have a properly secured car seat for children whenever the children are riding in a car. Even if you are driving to a corner grocery store, the children need to be in a car seat. The car seats are specifically designed and mandated so as to help eliminate or minimize any injuries to children in a motor vehicle accident.
Secondly, another key way to help protect children when they are riding in a car or truck is to be sure they do not ride in the front seat unless they meet the minimum age, height or weight requirements. What parent or driver has not been tempted to put a young child in the front seat for a short ride to the store? If a car crash happens, then that young child could be severely injured because of being in the front seat. Do not put a young child in the front seat of a motor vehicle unless legally allowed to ride in the front seat.
Finally, all children need to use seat belts. How many times has a parent or supervising adult taken kids on a long road trip to visit relatives when the children start to complain about being trapped in the seat belts. The noise and whining are almost too much to bear and what adult is not tempted to let the kids take off their seat belts and roam in the car. At that moment, a car crashes into you and the children are thrown about the car since they do not have their seat belts on which results in injuries.
No one wants to be in a car accident. No one wants to have children hurt in a motor vehicle accident. But, car accidents will happen and children will be passengers in these car accidents and, as such, the drivers must do everything in their power to protect the children by being sure of the following: (1) put them in properly secured car seats, (2) do not let them ride in the front seats unless old enough and (3) always be sure all children have their seat belts on while riding in a motor vehicle.
The Norfolk based personal injury law firm, Cooper Hurley, handles automobile, truck, and motorcycle injuries. John Cooper and Jim Hurley have over 40 years of combined experience in handling auto injury accident claims. Attorney John Cooper has been named to Virginia “Super Lawyers” since 2010. Cooper Hurley represents people hurt in accidents in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and throughout VA, and always put the best interests of the our clients first.. The firm is recognized by other lawyers as “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, a national attorney rating service, for our top level of legal skill and highest ethical standards. If you need help or advice about a serious injury, please call us ( 757) 455 -0077 or contact through this website.
