Preventing Child Injury in an Auto Accident

Auto Accidents – Preventing Child Injury

With the start of summer less than a month away and many of you planning some long awaited warm weather fun on the road, we want to remind everyone to think ahead on one of the most important, but often overlooked safety preparations – ensuring that child safety seating in your vehicle is up to standard and ready for use.

preventing child injury An unfortunate fact in British Columbia is that many children are injured in motor vehicle accidents every year simply due to lack of effective seating, or because sub-par equipment has been kept long past its usefulness.

Preventing Child Injury

With ICBC reporting as many as 1,300 injuries or fatalities annually in children aged 9 years or younger related to child car seats or booster seats, further research suggests that these numbers can be reduced significantly with the risk of fatality being reduced by 71% and the risk of serious injury by 67%.

The numbers are clear, so how can you ensure your children are protected this summer? Here are some helpful tips to consider:

The Four Stages of Child Seating and Restraint Systems in British Columbia

Children will outgrow everything! This includes car seats and booster seats; which is why you must ensure you are using the correct type and size of seat – not only to avoid injury, but also to ensure you are following the law of the road in British Columbia.

The four stages of seating that you need to be aware of are:

1. Infants:

Infants are required to sit in rear-facing car seats until they are at least 12 months old and over 9kg (20 lbs.)

section stage carseat

2. Toddlers:

Toddlers are required to sit in forward-facing car seats from at least one year old and over 9 kg (20 lbs.) and should continue to be buckled into this type of seating until they are 18 kg (40 lbs.)

3. Children under 9 years old:

Children under 9 years old are required to be in booster seats with seat belts or until they have reached a height of 145 cm (4’9”) tall

4. Youth:

A properly adjusted seat belt is the last stage for anyone over 9 years of age

Is your Child’s car seat installed correctly?

One of the most common problems leading to serious injuries or fatalities of children when riding in a motor vehicle is an incorrectly installed car seat or booster seat. Prior to driving with a child for ANY period of time, you should always check:

Your vehicle owner’s manual for any information on installing child car seats
Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Standards website (http://www.tc.gc.ca)
The manufacturer’s manual that came with your car seat
The Provincial rules or regulations regarding car seat, booster seat or seat belt use in your vehicle

Always do your research! If you are still not sure whether you have installed your child car seat correctly, there may be other resources offered online or in your community that can help you.

Prevent Child Injury

Be Aware of Safety Recalls – How to Prevent Child Injury in an Auto Accident

We all want to make sure that we buy the best equipment, especially when it comes to the safety of our children and our vehicle passengers – unfortunately, in an age of fast production and mass production, sometimes flawed equipment can make it to consumers unnoticed. This is why you should always try to be aware of any potential safety recalls and recall lists for car seats or booster seats that you own or use in your vehicle. Some sources to keep in mind and up to date on for safety recall information include:

Transport Canada
The Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada
The Manufacturer Website for your specific car seat or booster seat
Local Media Announcements
Social Media Groups

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a traffic accident, contact our compassionate and experienced legal team at Tim Louis Law & Associates. We will help build your claim for the compensation you deserve. To book your free consultation, call 604-732-7678 or email timlouis@timlouislaw.com We’re here to help.

Sources:
https://www.icbc.com/road-safety/safer-drivers/Documents/Seatbelt-fact-sheet.pdf
https://www.icbc.com/brochures/Pages/child-car-seats.aspx
https://www.bcaa.com/community/child-car-seat-safety
https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/road/child-car-seat-safety/installing-child-car-seatbooster-seat.html
https://www.cpsac.org/recall-list/

Motorcycle Safety | Tim Louis & Company Law in Vancouver

Motorcycle Safety Tips in Metro Vancouver

Motorcycle Safety Tips

Motorcycle enthusiasts are looking forward to the freedom that comes with riding on the open road and beginners may be shopping around for their dream bike to take on the road this spring and summer. However, the facts cannot be ignored: according to ICBC, in 2016, 940 motorcyclists were injured in 1500 crashes. On average, 12 motorcyclists are killed each year in the lower mainland.

We’ve gathered some safety tips to ensure motorcyclists are as safe as possible while riding.

Prepare Your Motorcycle for Safety

You can have years of motorcycle riding experience, but if your bike has mechanical issues, nothing will prevent you from getting into an accident resulting in a severe injury.

Always inspect your bike before every ride
Ensure tires don’t have bulges or cracks
Tire pressure should be at the proper level
Check to make sure your horn and turn signals are working
Ensure mirrors are in the appropriate position for blind spots
Check fluid levels weekly
Make sure your brakes, throttle, and clutch are working properly
Check for leaks

Always Wear Proper Riding Gear

motorcycle safety You may be tempted to wear your casual wear before jumping on your motorcycle, but think about the injuries you could prevent by wearing adequate riding gear that was designed for sudden impact. If you are in an accident, the friction from your body against the pavement alone can cause serious damage if you don’t take the necessary precautions.

Even if you are driving a short distance it’s integral that you wear the proper riding gear to protect your entire body in the event of an accident:

Wear adequate riding gloves, not standard work gloves. Riding gloves are made to protect your hands from trauma; while work gloves are made from thinner, weaker materials and will not protect you.
Always protect your head! Wear a full-face helmet to cover your face and head from possible injury.
Wear proper riding pants designed for motorcycle riding – you may see a lot of riders out there wearing regular jeans, but if you are in a motorcycle accident, regular pants will not protect your legs from injury.
Wear riding boots designed for motorcycle riding, not regular boots or shoes

Follow Traffic Rules & Ride Defensively

Of course, years of riding experience and motorcycle training can make all the difference in road safety, but be sure always to follow these driving tips whether you are a beginner or experienced motorcycle rider:

Always let drivers know your intentions by using your turn signals
Do your best to stay out of driver’s blind spots
Ride at a safe speed at all times
Never assume a driver has seen you or will give you the right-of-way

Don’t Ride When Impaired or Sleepy

Driving requires an alert mind, and a steady hand, which is why driving impaired is known to be one of the most dangerous decisions you can make as a driver – but what many people, especially new drivers may not realize, is that driving while tired can be just as dangerous, even fatal in some circumstances.

Know the Common Signs of Drowsiness:

Frequent yawning
Inability to keep your eyes open
Trouble holding your head up
Wandering thoughts
Drifting into another lane
Missing road signs or driving past turns

Motorcycle Safety: Follow these steps to prevent driver’s fatigue from setting in:

Get a full night’s sleep before a planned trip
Take short naps throughout the day whenever possible if you need them, especially on long trips
Avoid consuming caffeine or other stimulants before bed
Call for a ride or take a taxi if you’re too tired to drive

In addition, do your best to avoid these common driver’s mistakes:

Driving when on medication that causes drowsiness
Driving late at night, at times when you are usually sleeping
Driving alone if you are going a longer than usual distance

Tim Louis and his compassionate and talented legal team can give you the reliable, trusted advice you need and can deal with ICBC on your behalf. If you or your loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident in Metro Vancouver and would like to consult with our legal team who will do everything they possibly can to get you the personal injury settlement you deserve, contact us today for a free consultation at 604-732-7678.

source:
https://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Pages/2017-May1.aspx
https://www.icbc.com/road-safety/sharing/motorcycle-safety/Pages/Default.aspx

Month: May 2019