The Dangers of Child Backover Accidents
Sadly, the Palm Beach Post has posted an article about a backover tragedy that resulted in a 3-year-old little girl being killed. The weekday evening collision occurred near Palm Springs when the parents of the child pulled into the driveway of her maternal grandmother to drop off the little girl and her siblings. Her father had recently rented the large truck that apparently obstructed his vision after he had reportedly been involved in a crash. He thought his 3-year-old daughter had already run into her grandmother’s home but instead, the little girl somehow stepped in front of the vehicle and became pinned underneath after she was run over. Despite being flown in a helicopter to Delray Medical Center for emergency care, the little girl succumbed to her injuries just a few hours later.
Learning and Understanding the Risks
While we would all like to think we would never find ourselves in this scenario, these kinds of accidents unfortunately occur much more often than you likely think and can happen to anyone. According to Kids and Cars, a non-profit safety organization which tracks backover accidents, approximately 2,400 kids each year, or about 50 children each week, are injured after being struck or run over by a car that is attempting to back up. Young toddlers between the ages of 12 months and 23 months of age are most likely to be the victims of these unfortunate accidents, which also overwhelmingly involve large vehicles such as trucks, vans and SUVs. And tragically, it is a parent or close relative that is behind the wheel in over 70 percent of these incidents.
Combatting the Dangers
An unfortunate reality is that even great and loving parents and caregivers can inadvertently end up in a child backover accident scenario. To help combat this, stress to your kids from an early age that playing in driveways, parking lots or unfenced yards by the street is never a good idea. In addition, any time you are planning to back up your car:
- Walk around the car before getting in it to make sure the exit path appears to be clear
- Always look at your vehicle’s back up camera, if available, which can help you spot children or toys in a driveway
- Continue to use your mirrors as you are backing up to scan the area and make sure a child doesn’t enter your blind zone
Has a Child You Love Been Injured or Killed Due to Someone Else’s Negligence?
An injury to a child you care about is always difficult to face and this is especially true when these injuries occurred because of someone else’s negligence in a way that could have been prevented. Anyone who suspects that their loved one’s tragic injury or death was due to someone else’s negligence should arrange a consultation with a local personal injury attorney to explore any legal actions that may be available. As the West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm, we offer the experience and assistance you can rely on to advocate for both you and your family. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Orlando, Ocala, Tampa, Bradenton, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Daytona Beach areas.
Resources:
kidsandcars.org/how-kids-get-hurt/backovers/
palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2020/08/14/rsquolittle-angelrsquo-3-struck-killed-by-fatherrsquos-truck-near-palm-springs/42210797/
