Forget New Year’s. To me, September will always represent new beginnings. For years, September represented the closing of summer’s long days, and the start of the new school year. Like the first blank page in a new notebook, the feeling of starting a new school year is exciting and full of possibilities. As a parent, you can play a crucial role in your student’s success, and also in their safety. Accidents often occur on playgrounds after your child has been left to their own devices. Whether you’re navigating the ins and outs of parent pick up and drop off, sending your child off on a bike, or utilizing a school bus system, make sure your child is aware of the following safety issues after they leave your side:
If your child bikes to school, make sure that they’re sporting a properly fitted helmet. Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Initiative has encouraged many children to walk or bike to school, but make sure you’re safe while doing it. Helmets should fit snugly, and the chin strap should always be buckled. If your child’s helmet has been in an accident or is older than six years, it’s time to replace it!
After safely arriving at school, the helmet should be removed. Bike helmets can get stuck in playground equipment, causing strangulation.
Children’s clothes with drawstrings around the neck can be a potential danger, as shown by the fines this company faced in August of this year. Make sure your child’s clothes don’t have drawstrings around the neck. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received 26 accounts of death from children whose drawstring clothing became entangled on school bus doors and playground slides, among other common objects. They’ve also received reports of waist drawstrings becoming trapped in car doors, which caused a dragging incident.
The CPSC also recommends that soccer parents make sure the officials secure goals to the ground, as they’ve been known to fall over and lead to serious injuries.
At our Los Angeles personal injury law firm, consumer and child safety is our number one priority. We know that even with all of the rules and regulations imposed on product manufacturers, things can still go wrong and sometimes companies even put profit before safety. I encourage you to visit our blog often to stay informed about potential dangers of products you or your child may use, and to also practice safe habits to prevent an accident. My experience as a personal injury lawyer has shown me that the most tragic accidents can often be prevented.
Good luck to your and you child this school year!