The thought of having a car crash is often ever-present in the back of a driver’s mind every time they get behind the wheel of their automobile. This degree of concern often increases a few notches when motorists have others, such as their kids, ride along with them. Motor vehicle accidents can result in children suffering severe injuries, whether they’re riding in a car, booster or passenger seat.
Data compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) shows that children most commonly suffer internal organ damage, concussions and chest, head or back injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Government researchers also point out that younger kids, such as those under the age of one, are most apt to suffer concussions in crashes. Children older than one have a higher risk for head fractures, bruising and cuts.
That same data shows that the types of crashes that result in kids’ most debilitating injuries are rollovers. DOT data shows that children involved in these accidents have 10 times the chance of a collision incapacitating them than any other type of motor vehicle crash.
DOT research also shows that where your child sits in the car affects the injuries they may suffer. Children are safest a secondary row of seats during either a side or front collision. A kid’s injury risk doubles if they’re sitting in the front seat when a front-end or side crash occurs. The DOT argues that a child’s positioning in the car at the time of a rear-end crash doesn’t affect their chances of getting hurt.
Children are very resilient creatures. It’s often easy for them to recover from injuries that they suffer while young only to go on and lead fulfilling lives. There are some instances in which injuries are more life-altering, though. Children may face a lifetime of unnecessary and costly uphill medical battles in cases like these. A personal injury attorney can advise you of how Michigan law may allow you to recover the compensation that you’re sure to need to cover the costs associated with getting your child the best medical care possible following a crash.
