Keeping Children Safe During the Holiday Season

Personal Injury Lawyers in Georgia Discuss Keeping Children Safe During the Holiday Season

The holiday season can be an exciting time for children and teenagers with holiday parties, school vacation, and more play time outside. With the proper safety precautions, celebrating kids and adolescents can enjoy the winter break free of mishaps and injuries. 

Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, has a long history of commitment to community service with a significant focus on the safety of children through programs like our Help Keep Kids Safe®, and more recently our Family Safety and Legal Tips Campaign. 

In this blog article, we focus on the most common causes of holiday accidents and injuries along with safety tips. 

Motor Vehicle and Pedestrian Accidents

The high volume of child pedestrians, icy conditions and widespread consumption of alcohol at holiday parties can constitute a dangerous combination.  December 23rd, ranks No. 2 among days of the year for the highest number of traffic-related death in the U.S.  A National Safety Council (NSC) report offered the following common-sense safety suggestions:

1. All children should be accompanied by a responsible adult when playing outside or walking.
2. Drivers should exercise extra caution in looking for children on medians, roadways, and curbs.
3. Parents should dress children in bright clothing which is more noticeable after dusk.
4. Motorists should be alert for the presence of small children when entering and exiting driveways and alleys.
5. Electronic devices should be put away when individuals or vehicle are in motion because distracted driving and distracted walking are dangerous.

The heavy pedestrian traffic during the holiday season poses an even greater potential for tragic injuries and deaths because children face a much higher risk of being involved in pedestrian accidents. 

Multiple Factors Explain the High Number of Pedestrian Accidents Involving Children, Such as:

1. The mental capacity to accurately judge the distance and speed of approaching vehicles does not develop until at least age ten.
2. Because children are small in stature, they can be harder to see when moving into the street from between parked vehicles.
3. Young children lack the maturity to appreciate the danger of approaching traffic.
4. Smaller children might take longer to cross the street because of their shorter stride.

Although motor vehicle accidents constitute the most serious risk of experiencing life-changing injuries during the holiday season, a variety of other injuries also are common, including the following:

1. Injuries from sharp cutting tools when making decorations.
2. Fall from costumes that are restricting and impeding movement.
3. Crimes committed by adult predators against unsupervised children.
4. Slip, trip and fall injuries due to icy conditions.
5. Vehicular accidents caused by drunk, reckless or inattentive drivers.

Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years Of Legal Experience To Work For Your Case!

If you have been injured in any type of accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Montlick & Associates today for your free consultation. Montlick & Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. Our firm has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast for over 39 years.

No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at Montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.

Sources:

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/809855

https://www.safekids.org/child-pedestrian-safety

Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333