Keep Your Kids Safe: Don’t Overlook These Hazards

11/09/2016

Written by: Sarah Dee

As a parent, you prepare for your child’s safety even before he or she is born. You put child locks on the cabinets, covers on the outlets,anchor heavy furniture to the walls, and keep hazardous chemicals out of reach. While you have done everything you can to keep your child safe at home, there are everyday hazards, in the outside world, that your child may encounter and you may have overlooked. These types of hazards may result in a serious injury and needing to know how to file a lawsuit, but if you know what to look for, you may be able to prevent your child from being injured:

Playgrounds and Bounce Houses

When your child is at school, playing with friends at the park, or even attending a school carnival or birthday party, there’s a good chance that he or she will play on playground equipment or even in an inflatable bouncy house. Although many playgrounds have newer equipment and are designed for wear and tear, thousands of children play everyday and equipment may not be inspected on a regular basis. When you take your child to a playground, do a quick check of the equipment and the surrounding areas. If anything looks broken or visibly damaged, don’t let your child play on the equipment and even though you won’t be at every playground your child might play at, teach him or her how to look for and avoid hazardous areas.

Bounce houses are a popular attraction at parties and festivals and there are even indoor bounce house parks. Even though it seems like there’s little chance of injury in a play area filled with air, children can be injured or even killed in bounce houses. Whether you are visiting a bounce house park or renting one for your own party, it’s important to follow all rules and make sure they are strictly enforced for everyone’s safety.

School Bus Safety

Millions of children, of all ages, take the school bus to and from school on a daily basis and school buses are also used for a variety of school related trips. If your child doesn’t take a school bus on a regular basis, you may not know of some of the hazards. First of all, unless you live in California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York or Texas, the school bus will most likely not be equipped with lap and shoulder belts. Although school bus accidents are uncommon, it’s easy for your child to become injured on the bus, such as falling on the floor or when exiting the bus and crossing the street. Some schools, teachers, and bus drivers may do a good job of educating children on good and safe bus riding behavior, but don’t assume that your child knows what to do. Remind him or her to be a safe and responsible passenger.

School Building Upkeep 

As you send your child to school each day, there may be worries in the back of your mind such as gun violence or bullying, but the school itself may be a hazard to your child’s well being. The condition of your son or daughter’s school building greatly depends on funding and as we all know from headlines across the country, there are many communities that don’t have a budget for their school (think of the schools in Detroit). When you visit your child’s school, look for hazards such as ceiling damage, which can indicate a leaky roof, damaged floors, or evidence of asbestos in the building. If you notice any of these types of hazards, go to the building administrator or go directly to the school board. While they are likely aware of such conditions, they may not know the severity of the damage and the risk to children.

Bio: Sarah Dee is a writer and mother. While she writes about a variety of topics, her passion and main focus is writing about child and roadway safety. She enjoys with connecting with fellow parent writers and exchanging stories and experiences.