I don’t have a large kitchen, but it does have a window that allows me to see my neighbor’s driveway. Often when I am preparing dinner I watch her young children playing in the driveway. I thought of them the other day when I read about, not one, but three children in our state who were recently injured (one fatally) in tragic driveway accidents. Even if you don’t have children, the news of a child being seriously injured or dying is heartbreaking.
Naturally, in the days following the accidents (they all took place within a few days of each other) there have been a number of news stories done on driveway accidents. I remember hearing one police officer tell a local reporter: “You wouldn’t allow your child to play in traffic, but allowing them open access to the driveway can be just as dangerous.” The statement made me stop in my tracks. I wondered how many times I had let my own toddler run around in various driveways without showing the same degree of concern I would had she been playing near a busy street.
Studies show many driveway accidents involve children playing behind a vehicle and sustaining injury when the vehicle moves in reverse. Steep inclines, large SUVs and mini vans add to blind spots, making it difficult for drivers to see small children. I found a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, which found that driveways not separated by a fence from a child’s play area had triple the number of accidents compared to protected driveways. The study also revealed that of the children who were fatally injured in driveways (most were toddlers and preschoolers) nearly all the fatalities were from head injuries. The study concluded that the only effective way of reducing the death toll is through prevention.
So what can you do to help protect your child from becoming a statistic?
· Erect a fence between your driveway and your children’s play area.
· Never back out of the driveway without walking around your vehicle first. I would also suggest looking under your vehicle as well—pets are known to hide under vehicles.
· Keep the driveway clear of toys, bikes and sports equipment.
· Warn your children not to play in the driveway. Make it a house rule that they are not allowed on or near vehicles in or around the driveway—not just at your house, but any house they visit.
· Teach your children to stay in certain areas of the yard. Design a play area in a protected portion of the yard. If the play area is not fenced in, I would recommend that you stay outside and monitor your children. If they are anything like my child, they will bolt to no-man’s land whenever they get the chance.
· Keep your car locked and place the keys in a safe location inside your home.