An 18-month-old girl was killed recently when her own father backed over her in front of the family’s home. The child wandered out of her home in Ohio and walked behind her father’s Chevrolet Suburban as he was backing out of the driveway to go to church. The car struck his daughter, pulling her beneath the sport utility vehicle; she was pronounced dead at a local children’s hospital. The man and his family were devout Catholics, and he was on his way to Mass when he ran over his daughter. The child was the youngest of eight in the family.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2,000 children are treated for injuries suffered when they are struck by a vehicle driving in reverse; two children die each week as a result of these types of car accidents. Most of the victims are between 1-2 years of age. Sadly, the majority of accidents involve a truck or SUV driven by a parent or other close relative.
To avoid this tragic type of car accident, you should:
Walk all the way around your vehicle before driving it
Know where your children are; make sure they’re in full view
Explain to children that parked cars might move and that even though they can see the car, the driver may not see them
Teach children to never play around or behind any vehicle
Always set your emergency brake
Keep toys and bikes off the driveway and away from vehicles
Never leave children alone around cars
Keep keys away from a child’s reach
Keep vehicles locked at all times
Never leave children unattended in or around vehicles
If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury in Illinois as a result of a car accident in Chicago or anywhere else in the Illinois area, please contact a Chicago auto accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. today to schedule your initial consultation.
