Entrance security is a very demanding responsibility for parents or guardians of young children. Even when you watch your kids closely, it’s hard to react quickly enough when they run from your driveway to the street, whether it’s chasing a ball or riding a toy. Some of the most devastating car accidents involving children occur in the driveway.
Driveway safety statistics show that children who survive suffer serious and permanent physical and brain injuries. In fact, the driveway is the second biggest killer of young children in the home.
Driveway injuries can be prevented by:
o Have a heightened awareness of danger
o Follow simple safety rules
o Be more vigilant as parents
Security at the entrance is made up of two categories. Prevent your child from:
o Being hit by a car backing out of the driveway
o Run outside while playing in the yard.
Prevent your child from being run over in the driveway
One-third of children under the age of six who are involved in car accidents died in yards, parking lots, and driveways. One- and two-year-olds are most likely to be killed or injured in doorways. The vehicle usually moves slowly and is often driven by a parent, relative, or friend.
A vehicle moving slowly backing down a driveway can entrap a child and cause fatal crush injuries. Surviving children often suffer serious long-term injuries.
Young children, especially toddlers, can be impossible to see if they are directly behind a car. Most drivers are aware of their car’s ‘blind spots’, and studies show that there is a large ‘blind spot’ behind most cars, especially when driving in reverse. Even cars with parking sensors or a video camera may not notice a young child until it’s too late to stop.
The largest number of fatal driveway crashes occur on weekdays rather than weekends. They usually occur between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. in the morning, and between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in the evening. Also, most of these accidents occur in good weather and bright light.
safety steps
o Always watch your children and never leave them alone while playing in the yard, especially near parked or moving vehicles.
o Ensure their safety by holding hands or keeping them close to you
o If you are home alone and need to move your vehicle, place your child safely in the car while you move
o Use safety gates, fences, or gates for areas leading out of your home to make it difficult for young children to access driveways
o Walk around your vehicle before leaving an area where children have been playing
o Never allow your unsupervised child to use your driveway as a place to play
o Create an alternative safe play area for your children
Protecting your children from running into the street
To deal with this driveway safety issue, many parents use their car to block off the driveway or erect a temporary barrier of wood or whatever else may be around the garage. Many of these barriers are not sturdy and children riding toys can be injured if they collide with the barrier or the car.
A better driveway safety solution is called a driveway safety net. It runs along the bottom of your driveway. It is a low-cost, easy-to-use, portable mesh barrier that acts as a deterrent by keeping children and toys from leaving the driveway and entering the street.
It also acts as a visual barrier to deter cars from entering the driveway where children play. This is especially important when cars parked on the street next to your driveway can affect the driver’s vision.
Nothing can replace parental supervision as the primary solution for child safety. Proactively monitoring our children can be a challenge, however it is better to face the challenge than suffer the consequences.