Pedestrian Injuries in Children and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Unintentional injuries are among the most common causes of death in children. One of the ways that children can suffer serious injuries is through pedestrian injuries, which could lead to traumatic brain injuries. According to statistics that have been published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- During their study period, an average of over 12,000 children were killed yearly due to unintentional injuries.
- Boys were more than twice as likely to be injured or killed than girls.
- The leading cause of death in children during their study period was transportation.
- This includes children who were killed while riding in a motor vehicle and children who were struck by motor vehicles either as pedestrians or while riding a bicycle.
Children and Pedestrian Injuries: The Reasons Why
Sadly, thousands of children are hurt every year in pedestrian accidents. There are many reasons why children are vulnerable to sustaining such injuries, which include:
- Children are significantly shorter than adults, making them hard to see out of a rearview mirror or in front of the hood of a car.
- Some children may not realize that cars are dangerous and can cause serious traumatic injuries.
- Kids are easily distracted while playing outside and may not acknowledge a passing vehicle.
- Some kids may still be learning how to ride their bike and might lose control, colliding with a moving car.
When children are struck by a motor vehicle, they can suffer traumatic brain injuries that could place them in a hospital.
Traumatic Brain Injuries are Suffered in Pedestrian Accidents Involving Children
A recent study was published demonstrating that children are prone to suffering traumatic brain injuries as a result of pedestrian accidents. In the study, researchers reviewed a series of medical cases where a child had been struck by a motor vehicle. The researchers found that:
- The most common injuries that children sustained when hit by a motor vehicle involved their head and neck.
- These injuries included spinal cord injuries, skull fractures, and traumatic brain injuries.
- Almost half of the children were running at the time of impact.
- The size of the child, the speed of the car, and the shape of the vehicle all impacted the severity of the injuries.
A child’s head is a larger part of their body proportionally than in an adult. This means that children have a tendency to strike their head on the ground when they fall, leading to a brain injury. When children suffer a traumatic brain injury, this could leave them with permanent, irreparable complications. This can impact their ability to attend school, socialize with their family members and friends, and lead a normal life. In some cases, a child may never fully develop into an adult, which could leave their parents caring for them for the rest of their life.
Watch YouTube Video: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Kids. This animated video provides useful information on the causes of traumatic brain injury in children and how to prevent them.
Contacting a Personal Injury Law Firm
When a child is injured, parents may not know what to do next. No parent ever wants to see their child hurt and the idea of their child suffering a traumatic brain injury can create a feeling of despair. In these situations, it is vital to meet with a pedestrian injury lawyer in Sacramento. A trained personal injury attorney can help a family review their options and help them make a decision that could benefit the health and recovery of their child.
Sacramento Pedestrian Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a pedestrian injury lawyer in Sacramento. It is essential for everyone to watch for children while they are driving. If your child has suffered injuries in an auto or pedestrian accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
I am a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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Image Attribution: The photo at the start of this article is seen in its original form on Unsplash. The image has been reproduced here with permission/Pedestrian Injuries in Children and Traumatic Brain Injuries.
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