Study Examines Children And Auto Accidents

Researchers are constantly sifting through the data of fatal car accidents. Drivers in Connecticut and throughout the U.S. should pay attention to these statistics, particularly when it involves children under the age of 15. The numbers show that while the number of deaths in an auto accident vary state-by-state, a greater number of deaths happen in the South. Most are linked to a failure to properly use or failure to use restraints in rural crashes.

The study shows that between 2010 and 2014, approximately 16 percent of children under the age of 15 who were in a fatal car crash died. There were 18,116 such accidents and 2,885 deaths. More than 1,500 fatalities were in the South. The Northeast was found to be the safest with 189 deaths. In the Midwest, the number was 585.

According to the researchers, enforcement of state laws regarding child safety is critical. If there was proper use of child restraints 10 percent more often, deaths of children would reduce by more than 230 per year and more than 1,100 for five years. That comes to almost 40 percent of the fatalities for the years that were part of the study. The majority happened when the vehicles were traveling between 45 and 60 mph.

Although Connecticut had one of the lowest mortality rates per 100,000 children, any fatality in a motor vehicle accident is troublesome. When it can be determined that the car crash was caused by the negligence of another driver, such as one who was speeding, distracted or impaired, an attorney could represent the surviving family members in seeking compensation for their losses.