Stroller Accidents Send Thousands Of Children To The Hospital Every Year

Stroller Accidents Send Thousands Of Children To The Hospital Every Year

An alarming new study reveals that accidents involving strollers and car carriers send thousands of babies and young children to the emergency room every year. In fact, an average of two children ages five and younger are taken to the emergency room every hour to treat injuries from stroller or car carrier accidents. The study, published in Academic Pediatrics, looked at stroller and car carrier injuries over a 21-year period that ended in 2010. Researchers found that:

• Approximately 361,000 toddlers needed hospital treatment after their strollers fell or tipped over, an average of 17,187 toddlers per year.
• The majority of stroller injuries (62 percent) were head injuries, while nearly 25 percent were face injuries. More than half of patients in these cases were male, and in 42 percent of cases, the patient was under 12 months of age.
• In accidents involving car carriers, a little over half of patients were male, while an astounding 89 percent of patients were less than 12 months of age.

About 40 percent of patients suffering a stroller-related injury were diagnosed with bruising or other soft-tissue injuries, as well as 48 percent of car carrier incidents. Nearly a quarter of stroller accident patients were diagnosed with a concussion or traumatic brain injury, along with nearly 35 percent of carrier accident patients. Though concussions are considered a mild brain injury with a quick recovery period for children, these injuries have the potential to negatively impact a child's behavior, development and learning, resulting in long-term side effects. The study is based on data researchers collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, which tracks injuries from recreation and consumer products that required treatment in an emergency room. If your child was injured by a stroller, car carrier or other defective product, a Cincinnati personal injury lawyer at O’Connor, Acciani & Levy can review your claim for free and inform you of your legal options. Call (877) 288-3241 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form today.