The Broome County Health Department, along with the New York State Police and other participants recently held an event to check on child safety seats in cars. This event arose from the concern about the fact that car accidents are responsible for the majority of deaths of children age 1 to 13 years. The lack or inappropriate use of booster seats and child safety seats may play a significant role in those statistics.
Authorities noted that only 16% of these seats are used as prescribed. The event lasted for three hours, and parents were invited to bring their vehicles for inspection and valuable advice. Those who went might have corrected errors that could save the lives of their children. Parents were asked to bring along the vehicle and car-seat manuals, and the children that use the seats.
Along with checking the safety seats for wear and tear or malfunctions, inspectors also tested whether the installation of each safety seat was done according to the instructions in the manuals. The safety seats were also checked to determine whether they were appropriate for the particular child’s age and size. More such events might help to save many lives.
While child safety seats are not guaranteed to prevent injuries to children when car accidents happen, they can limit the severity of injuries suffered. If another party’s negligence causes an accident that results in the death of a child, the parents likely have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim in civil court. This is a complicated field of the law, and it makes good sense to utilize the support and guidance of an experienced New York personal injury attorney.