SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Tuesday night, the unthinkable. A Sandy mother drove over and killed her 2-year-old child. While this is a terrible tragedy, the accident could have been prevented. In 2007 alone, 100 children died in similar accidents. ABC4 is taking action, to protect the children of Utah from this happening again.
This Sandy mom moved her van just a few feet in the front driveway, thinking her child was safe inside. But she wasn't. Instead, the baby was under the van. Unfortunately this accident is not the first. The
National Safety Council reports 100 kids died in accidents similar to this just last year.
Primary Childrens Medical Center's child advocacy manager, Janet Brooks, uses the program
Spot the Tot to teach Utah to take a moment, check your surroundings and prevent deaths.
Brooks said, "This happens all year long, they are not always a fatality, but we see children who have been injured several times a week. This happens an average of one time every six days in Utah."
Besides being aware, you can equip your surroundings to watch out for kids. A company in Ogden installs sensors in cars. When the car gets 3 feet away from anything, it will beep letting you know something is there.
While this can help, Brooks explains you must be careful. Brooks said, "Use technology if you can afford it, but don't count on it. Human intervention makes the difference.
The National Safety Council has five ideas to prevent these driveway accidents.
- Walk 360° around your vehicle every time before driving.
- Make sure children are in the house. Young kids often run outside suddenly and unseen to say "bye bye" to their family.
- Teach your children to never play in or around vehicles, and to never play or stand in the driveway.
- Consider installing devices such as rearview cameras and sensors to reduce your blind zone. They are not failsafe, so should not be used as a replacement to the 360° walk around.
- Be especially vigilant during hectic times, schedule changes, family gatherings and holidays. These busy times are often when overlooked children are injured or killed.
