The sad truth is that car accidents are the leading cause of death for children under the age of three. And despite the fact that parents can prevent child injuries and deaths in Oklahoma car accidents by properly using car seats and ensuring that the safety seats are not defective, children continue to suffer serious …
The sad truth is that car accidents are the leading cause of death for children under the age of three. And despite the fact that parents can prevent child injuries and deaths in Oklahoma car accidents by properly using car seats and ensuring that the safety seats are not defective, children continue to suffer serious injuries or lose their lives in car accidents every year. Although many of these tragic incidents are caused by faulty child safety seats, the majority occur when parents fail to follow car seat safety guidelines. If you properly restrain your young child in a child safety seat or booster and the product fails, causing child injuries or death in an Oklahoma car accident, contact our experienced child injury attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today. Our team of knowledgeable lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center has extensive experience helping parents pursue fair compensation for serious child injuries or loss of life.
U.S. Guidelines for Child Safety Seats
According to a study published recently in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, many parents are not following the proper guidelines when it comes to child safety seats. Researchers involved in the study observed parents and children at fast food restaurants and recreation centers to see how children were strapped in, if at all. The report had alarming results: less than 2% of children over the age of seven were properly restrained in booster seats, and many children were not properly restrained in rear- or forward-facing child safety seats. The American Academy of Pediatrics has strict guidelines when it comes to child safety while traveling in a vehicle:
- A child should be restrained in a rear-facing car seat until the age of two, unless they exceed the height and weight requirements before that time.
- Children older than two should be placed in forward-facing car seats until they surpass the manufacture’s specifications for the seat.
- School-aged children too big for forward-facing child seats should be restrained in a seat belt positioning booster seat, until the seat belt fits properly without the booster. This typically occurs between the ages of eight and 12, when the child reaches 4 feet 9 inches in height.
Contact Our Child Injury Lawyers Today
Some of the most devastating injuries caused by Oklahoma car accidents are those that affect young children, especially when the injuries are caused by a defective child product, like a car seat. If your child has suffered serious injuries or death in an Oklahoma car accident, contact our qualified child injury lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center as soon as possible. Our law firm is located in Oklahoma City, and our child injury attorneys have years of experience helping parents seek fair and timely reimbursement for injuries sustained by their children in an auto accident. With the help of our reputable child injury lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center, you can protect your legal rights and ensure that your child receives the medical care he or she needs now and in the future.