All school year, Ohio school children eagerly await the warmer weather and summer vacation. For many, the warmer temperatures and time away from school bring trips to the local swimming pool, summer family vacations and spending time outdoors. While the summer months are most often associated with fun, they are also the time when most school-aged children sustain serious injuries.

In Ohio, more school-aged children are injured and killed during the summer months than during any other time of the year. The majority of these injuries and deaths occur when children are involved in car accidents or pedestrian accidents. While some motor vehicle-related accidents are difficult to avoid, there are several ways that Ohio parents can help keep children safe while driving in a car, walking or biking.

In an effort to keep child-passengers safe in a moving motor vehicle, parents would be wise to ensure a child is properly secured. For very young children, a child seat or booster seat is necessary. For older children and teenagers, parents should ensure all passengers religiously buckle-up. In addition to being safe while in a car, children and teens should take measures to be safe while walking.

Every summer, children are hit and injured or even killed while crossing the street or riding their bicycles. Parents would be wise, therefore, to ensure a child always looks both ways and crosses the street at crosswalks. Additionally, older children and teens should refrain from talking on a cellphone or listening to music while walking. Both of these behaviors have been found to be extremely distracting and potentially dangerous to pedestrians.

The summer months are meant to be a time of fun and excitement for children. By following some basic safety rules, Ohio parents can help ensure their children remain safe this summer and throughout the school year.

Source: The Herald-Dispatch, “Injuries increase during summer for children due to more risk,” July 4, 2013