A report on summer safely by "Safe Kids Worldwide" ranks Iowa 37th nationally for the number of unintentional injury deaths for kids from birth to age 14. The report says Iowa averages nearly four unintentional deaths to kids in that age group from May through June.
Connie Hauskins, the coordinator of the Linn County Safe Kids chapter, says there are several categories of unintentional deaths. She says drowning, biking injuries, falls, motor vehicle and pedestrian. The national study shows motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages three to 14 in the U.S. and child passenger fatalities increase 20 percent above the monthly average in the summer.
Hauskins Iowa has worked to address that problem. Hauskins says the state upgraded it’s child passenger restraint law to try and get more kids buckled up. Hauskins says the law has helped, but there’s a need to continue working with parents. Hauskins says parents are trying to have kids properly buckled up, but some don’t have the resources. She says Safe Kids works with families to try and help them purchase the proper carseats and booster seats.
Hauskins says just having a carseat or booster seat doesn’t do any good if it’s not properly used.
Hauskins says the children need to be fit well for the system to work, otherwise the child could be injured in an accident. Hauskins says there are several Safe Kids chapters across the state, and you can check with your local chapter to find information on how to properly secure your child in a car. Hauskins says there is also a lot of good information on the Safe Kids website and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.