As a Seattle personal injury lawyer, I understand that injuries to children present a different set of problems than other injuries. For example, an injury to a child can have more of an impact emotionally, and a burden on the entire family. Also, the accident could lead to lifelong problems which must be taken into account when negotiating a settlement. Lastly, the parent or guardian of the child must file a case on behalf of their child. These three differences make child injuries a long and difficult process. 

The leading cause of death for children between the ages of 2 and 14 is auto accidents. Data from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis shows that 250,000 children are injured every year in car accidents. In most of these cases, there is very little a parent or guardian can do to protect their child. One way to protect children is to use safety restraints. In 2005, an estimated 425 lives of children were saved by the use of these restraints. However, in order to be effective, they must be installed and used properly. In a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation that looked at 3,500 child safety restraints being used found that 72% were being used improperly. A properly installed and used safety restraint can lower a child’s risk of death by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers ages 1 to 4.

On Thursday afternoon, a man and a young girl were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center after being involved in a single car accident in Chimacum. The car, which was traveling at high speeds, crossed into the oncoming lane with two wheels on the shoulder and two on the road, then hit a driveway and became airborne. The car traveled through 50 feet of brush before hitting a tree and stopping. The girl was in the back seat using a child safety restraint and suffered severe head and arm injuries, and possibly internal injuries. The man, Kevin Sterling, 33, suffered a serious closed head injury. Both were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of their injuries. Speed was a factor in the accident and the accident is still under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

As a driver, you are responsible for the safety of yourself, your passengers, and the other people on the road. Another way to protect children from injuries is to obey the laws that govern the roads. This tragic accident was potentially a result of speeding. Had the driver followed the rules of the road, injury to the child would have been much less likely. Thankfully, the child was using a safety restraint or the injury could have been much worse.

This information is provided by Premier Law Group. Premier Law Group is a group of King County Personal Injury attorneys who work with Seattle auto accidents, Bellevue Motorcycle Accidents , Washington serious injuries, Bellevue sexual harassment cases, and Tacoma employee rights cases among other practice areas.  Contact our Seattle law office  to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. Or, visit Straight Talk Law where you can order free books on Seattle auto accidents, buying Washington auto insurance, and other valuable legal information.

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