Children and Non-Traffic Crashes

Far too often, a child is tragically killed when they are struck by vehicles in their own driveway, and then people turn to an Arlington Heights, IL personal injury lawyer for help. Unfortunately, these types of devastating car accidents are not uncommon among children. In fact, many accidents involving children and vehicles do not take place on the roads, but in parking lots and driveways. According to our friends at Therman Law Offices, LTD, these types of non-traffic crashes can be just as deadly and emotionally scarring as more typical car accidents.

Non-Traffic Crashes

Non-traffic crashes are accidents that occur in driveways, private roads, and parking lots, rather than on public streets and freeways. This type of accident also includes non-crash scenarios, such as when a car falls on someone or a person is injured or killed through unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as many as 220 non-occupant children and 40 occupant children die in non-traffic-related incidents each year. More than 8,000 children are injured. Non-traffic accidents are especially dangerous to young children, and it is estimated that around 84 percent of children who were not occupants of a vehicle and who died in this type of accident were four years old and younger.

Danger Zones/Times

Non-traffic crashes involving children occur more often at certain times during the day. For example, data indicates that the most common time for children to be injured by a vehicle is between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. when they are walking to and from school. During the summer, more injuries tend to take place in the evenings, when children are playing outside in the street and in their driveways.

Children between the ages of five and 14 have a higher tendency of being injured by a vehicle during the weekday mornings when they are walking to school. Toddlers and preschoolers are the most at risk of becoming victims in non-traffic crashes and are most often injured in private driveways.

Personal Injury

Many non-traffic accidents involving children involve a family member. For instance, one of the most commonly occurring non-traffic accidents is when a person driving a large vehicle is backing out of a driveway and does not see a child standing behind the car.

However, in the event that someone else is responsible for an injury or death of a child, parents may have legal recourse to compensate them for medical costs. Drivers owe a special duty of care to children because they are smaller, less visible, and unpredictable. When a driver knew or should have known that small children were at play in the area, but still did not exercise a greater degree of care, he or she can be held liable for the injuries caused to the child.

Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm Today

If your child has been injured by an at-fault driver, your family may be entitled to financial compensation. To learn more, call an experienced personal injury attorney.