Cell Phones Continue to Distract Parents and Contribute to Causing Serious and Even Fatal Accidents
Cell phones are becoming more and more of a distraction to all individuals leading to many serious and even fatal accidents occurring. On September 19th, WSET reported that a mother and her five-year-old son were involved in a severe car crash in Soquel, CA after the mother became distracted by her cell phone. The two had been traveling on a major highway when the truck the mother had been operating crashed into the center divider, causing her vehicle to roll over multiple times.
The California Highway Patrol said that the mother had been using her cell phone while driving and failed to properly restrain her child in his seat. He was ejected out of the vehicle upon impact and suffered serious injuries. When police arrived at the scene, they said the straps in his child safety seat was still buckled which means he wasn’t properly restrained and that he may have slipped out. They also reported that there was no child safety booster seat in the car.
The child had to be airlifted to a trauma center while his mother also had to be transported to a local trauma center after suffering moderate injuries. A CHP spokesperson used this incident to remind other parents that a seatbelt should not be used for a child who is not at least 4’9 and exceeds the weight limitations stipulated on their booster or car seat. The spokesperson also reminded parents of the importance of buckling their child in their car seat properly. In the event you don’t have a car seat or cannot afford the right type for your child, CHP says they will provide one to you free of charge and will even teach you how to use it properly.
Cell Phones Become a Major Distraction for Parents “Watching” Their Kids at the Pool
Aside from cell phones contributing to deadly car crashes, they also are known to distract parents who might be in a different setting where their attention is needed. According to Today.com, parents are becoming more and more consumed with using their cell phone while their children are swimming which has increased the number of drownings that are occurring. The source highlighted that “drownings are the second-leading cause of death in children ages one to 14 in the U.S.” and a parent shouldn’t be using their cell phone when they are expected to be watching their kids who are either playing or swimming in the water.
In fact, the issue has become such a large one that the world’s largest lifeguard association, The German Lifeguard Association, has “issued a warning that parents engrossed in their cellphones while kids are swimming can be a deadly mix.” In Germany alone, there were 279 reported drownings in the first seven months of 2018 and parents using their cell phones have contributed to this increase in deaths. Sadly, this issue also exists here in the U.S. which is why parents today need to understand the importance of putting their phone down when it is time to supervise their child.
The reality is, it only takes a few seconds for a small child to drown and a parent who is consumed by their phone may assume the splashing they hear is their child playing when in all reality, they are actually struggling to stay above water. Therefore, any parent who is responsible for watching their child play in the pool should keep these tips in mind:
- Although you will want to have a cell phone with you when out by the pool in case of an emergency, keep it away unless you need it.
- If you need to answer a text or a phone call, have another reliable person take over watching your kids or have them come out of the water momentarily.
- When your kids are playing in the water, your eyes should be on them at all times
As convenient and reliable as our cell phones have become, they carry many dangers with them when used at the wrong times. And if you have been involved in an accident with a negligent individual in San Diego who was using their cell phone, we encourage you to contact our personal injury law firm located in San Diego, CA today. Our CA personal injury attorneys will work with you to determine what forms of action can be taken to hold the individual responsible along with how much you might be entitled to collect for the injuries sustained.
Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates is located at:
501 West Broadway, Suite 1650
San Diego, CA 92101
619-233-8021
