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Fresh Air, Outdoor Play…Danger in the Driveway
Posted by Jeff on February 22, 2008 179 views Comments (View Comments)Here’s another great article from HuggiesHappyBaby.com that I read and wanted to share with other Dads and Moms out there. It’s about safety this spring in our OWN driveways.
“In 2003, at least 72 children died in the United States as a result of being accidentally backed over by a vehicle,” said Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Cars, an advocacy group which promotes vehicle safety for children. “Even more heartbreaking is the fact that the majority of those tragedies occurred with a parent or a close relative behind the wheel,” she says.
I don’t know one single family that doesn’t have at least one SUV or minivan and seem to the the most dangerous vehicles when backing up. You cannot see a 30″ toddler behind you when backing out of the garage. I won’t even get in our SUV when our two kids are outside. Even if they are in the backyard playing you never know when they’ll run around to play “peek a boo” with me. So be cautious this Spring as the kids start to spend more time outdoors!
Here are some safety precautions you should take:
- Don’t let children play in the driveway!
- If they are in the driveway or in an adjacent yard, the rule is that all the children must stand on the front steps—or someplace visible and away from the driveway—before she moves the vehicle. If you can see everyone on the steps, you knows it’s safe to pull into or out of the driveway.
- Make sure that the people supervising children, particularly toddlers, know exactly when drivers are leaving so the children don’t venture out to the driveway.
- Install rear sensors or video cameras that mount on vehicle bumpers and provide images that span all the way to the ground.
Read the full article here at Danger in the Driveway
