Child Accident Prevention Trust – Child Safety Week 2023
Child Safety Week is a campaign by the Child Accident Prevention Trust. The purpose is to educate and raise awareness of parents and carers to prevent accidents.
Most common accidents amongst children can include:
- Road traffic accidents as pedestrians, cyclist and passengers.
- Accidents at home including accidents in the bath, accidents in the kitchen which could include slipping or burn injuries and accidents in the garden.
On average 2,400 children are badly injured each year on road according to the Department for Transport. According to the Child Accident Prevention Trust everyday around 40 under 5’s will be taken to hospital.
How to prevent typical accidents that occur in the home
Bathroom
Don’t leave children unattended in the bathroom as they could drown in a small amount of water. Scalds can often occur where the temperature of the bath water is too hot. It is important to always test the temperature of the water with your elbow before placing your child in a bath.
Kitchen
When cooking make sure to push kettles to the back of the worktops so children can not reach up. You need to keep children away from a cooker or oven whilst cooking. Burns can happen very easily and children will reach out for objects not knowing they may cause a burn.
Hair straighteners
Keep these out of reach of children and place in a heat proof pouch and on a high shelf to cool so children cannot reach these. These can reach very high temperatures and again can cause serious injury to children.
Magnetic toys and batteries
It is important to place spare batteries away from children. If a child swallows a button battery it can burn a hole and cause internal bleeding and even death. It is important to ensure that batteries in toys are secured and you purchase toys from a reputable retailer.
Blinds
It can take just 15 seconds for a toddler to lose consciousness if a blind cord is caught around their neck. It is imperative that the blind cords are tied safely so a child cannot pull at them.
Stairs
Ensure that you have secure stair gates to prevent children climbing and falling down stairs.
How to prevent accidents on the road
Passengers
As a driver of a car ensure that you drive to the correct speed limits and drive safely. It is important that the correct car seats are fitted for the age of the child and a seat belt is used at all times.
Cycling
Ensure that your child is wearing a helmet and elbow pads and knee pads to prevent injury when they fall.
Pedestrians
Teach children at a young age how to cross a road at a pedestrian crossing, zebra crossing and use the high cross code rules. Always hold their hand when crossing a road and take your time.
If your child has been involved in an accident it is imperative you seek medical attention as soon as possible, or please call our highly experienced Personal Injury solicitors today on 0330 822 3451. Alternatively, you can request a call back or get in touch with us online.
