June is National Safety Month: What is the Leading Cause of Death for Children?

By David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

June is National Safety Month. It marks a time of year in which safety is especially promoted from a multitude of organizations, businesses, schools, day care centers, municipalities, and states. Of coursee, safety should be a paramount concern and goal all year round. It is not just a June priority. It is a 365 priority. So, what is the leading cause of death of children? The answer is “Automobile Accidents”. It has been reported that the leading cause of death in children ages 5 to 24 is the automobile accident. Consider of moment, a family goes for a drive to school, the park, a movie, the mall, or grocery store. It is a sunny day and all is right in the world. Then, suddenly, there is a crash that not only ruins this bright sunny day but the lives of family members, friends, and a community. The of a child certainly leaves a lasting mark or scar that is never ever forgotten.

The other reported causes of death for both children and adults include the following:

*Poisoning;

*Falls;

*Choking;

*Drowning; and

*Fires / Burns.

With respect to drowning deaths in the United States, it is the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 4. Because of this, it is especially important to monitor children in or near any water source from as big as an ocean to as small as a mere bucket of water.

When a child dies as a result of an automobile accident or any other these other cases, there may be a legal cause of action for the parents to pursue on behalf of the estate of the child. Certainly, there is no replacement value at all for a child; however, the laws in each state address the procedure and cause of action when a child dies as a result of the negligence or fault of a person, business, school, day care center, summer camp, non-profit organization, or government entity.

The book titled – When the Wheels Stop Spinning – Legal Rights of the Injured Child – What a Parent Should Know After the Accident – has chapters on Automobile Accidents, Bicycle Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Wrongful Death, Compensation – Damages, and other topics. You can get this book for free at When the Wheels Stop Spinning.