What should all parents know about front-over accidents?

If you have a young child in your family, you know how dangerous walking or playing near traffic can be. After all, according to a report from Safe Kids Worldwide, an average of seven children died every week in pedestrian-vehicle collisions in 2019 alone.

Front-over accidents happen when a car drives forward, causing the vehicle to run into or over a child. Sadly, front-over accidents often lead to catastrophic injuries and death. In fact, according to reporting from ABC News, front-over accidents contribute to roughly 30% of fatalities for pedestrians under the age of 15.

Why are front-over accidents so common?

While there are smaller vehicles on U.S. roadways, trucks and SUVs remain exceedingly popular. The high frontends of these vehicles make them inherently dangerous to children. Specifically, drivers simply may not be able to see pedestrians who are shorter than four or five feet.

Do front-facing cameras help?

Nowadays, a growing number of vehicles have front-facing cameras. These cameras give drivers a real-time view of the space in front of their vehicles. While front cameras are likely to decrease the number of front-over accidents, they also may give motorists a false sense of security. Therefore, drivers should continue to check for children the old-fashioned way before pulling forward.

Who is most at risk?

The drivers in most fatal front-over accidents know the children they accidentally kill. That is, relatives, friends and neighbors are most at risk for causing fatal front-over collisions. Consequently, those who live near or interact with children must exercise additional caution.

Ultimately, if your child dies in a tragic front-over accident, you may have grounds to file a wrongful death claim against the driver.