{"id":3330,"date":"2011-07-10T01:28:33","date_gmt":"2011-07-09T18:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/?p=3330"},"modified":"2011-07-10T01:46:27","modified_gmt":"2011-07-09T18:46:27","slug":"protecting-children-the-elderly-in-a-car-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/protecting-children-the-elderly-in-a-car-crash\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting Children & the Elderly in a Car Crash"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Lori Cunningham<\/span><\/p>\n

This post is a part of a larger series stemming from my participation in the Forward with Ford<\/a><\/span> symposium I attended* at Ford, just outside of Detroit.<\/p>\n

Dr. Steward Wang is a Trauma Surgeon and Car Safety Activist who\u00a0works in a trauma center in Detroit.\u00a0 Dr. Wang has seen and studied a large number of car crash victims from babies to adults to the elderly.\u00a0 Because of their different bone structures, accidents can affect young children and elderly differently than adults.<\/p>\n

The younger the child or older the adult, the higher number of injuries they will incur.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This trend is likely to get worse over the next several decades as baby boomers continue to age.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Newborns have a head that is twice the depth, length and height than the average adult.\u00a0 This is why the infant needs to be seated rear facing.\u00a0 If faced forward, the head would not be restrained and possibly pulled off.<\/p>\n

The best time to turn a child’s carseat around is when they are too large to sit in the rear facing position.\u00a0 The current recommendation is age one, but Dr. Wang feels keep children seated rear facing as long as possible.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Child safety seats are important to hold kids’ bodies down and spread the pressure in better protected areas during an accident.<\/p>\n

Dr. Wang strongly recommends using booster seats as long as possible…even up to age 11 if need be.\u00a0 In our culture,\u00a0 you’re considered a baby if you’re in a booster seat.\u00a0 Dr. Wang sees kids all the time who were injured. \u00a0Having no booster seat causes the seatbelt to slide past a child’s\u00a0pelvis, thus causing injury to their internal organs.\u00a0 Putting their shoulder belt under their arm, causes some awful injuries too, Dr. Wang noted.\u00a0 When your kid complains about getting out of the booster seat, it’s a good time to talk to them about safety and show them the data.\u00a0 Teaching your children about safety and statistics now is a good\u00a0jump start\u00a0for when you share car safety concerns in their teens.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Today, 13% of our population over 65, but there will be 21% over the age of 65 in 2050.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As you get order, the risks of\u00a0 upper body injury go up, as the chest is likely to be impacted.\u00a0 Rib fractures are common.\u00a0 Broken ribs can puncture the internal organs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Not only do senior get more fragile as they age, recovery takes longer too.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/span>:<\/span><\/h2>\n