September is Las Vegas Baby Safety Month. It’s a good time for parents to review the safety practices they use for their children, learn new things to keep their babies safe, and reinforce what they already know. To help you and your family keep your babies safe, Lerner and Rowe presents these Las Vegas Baby Safety Month tips.
Understand Nevada Car Seat Laws and Best Practices
Nevada law states that children under the age of 6 or weighing 60 pounds or less must use a “child restraint system.” The term includes child seats for babies and toddlers, as well as booster seats for older children. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of child injury deaths, so not only is a child safety seat required by law, but it can also save a child’s life.
No two children are the same, so it’s important for you to use a child safety seat that best fits your baby’s age, weight, and height. However, it’s prudent to use a rear-facing seat for as long as it’s comfortable for your child. Rear-facing seats are considered safer in the event of an accident, since the design offers greater impact protection.
While using a rear-facing safety seat is wise, it’s also important to monitor your child’s growth so that they use a seat that matches their height and weight. A child that’s stuffed into a car seat that’s too small for them is at risk of injury, especially limb damage.
Exercise Extreme Caution During Hot Months
There will be many days of 100F+ weather during Las Vegas Baby Safety Month. When your child is in a car with you, making sure that they’re cool is essential. Before you drive, check to see if the air conditioning and vents are working properly. Point the vents near your child to ensure optimal air circulation.
Adults can only stand temperatures of 103F before being adversely affected. Babies are more sensitive, so it’s important to make sure that they’re cool and comfortable inside a car during hot Nevada days. Heat injuries can lead to suffocation, dehydration, organ damage, and wrongful death.
In Nevada, it’s illegal to leave a child under the age of seven unattended in a car. Unfortunately, some parents and caregivers are unaware of the law and the potential dangers of leaving a child in a car.
Nevada’s Good Samaritan Law allows a “person rendering emergency services who reasonably believes that a violation of this section has occurred may, without incurring civil liability, use any reasonable means necessary to protect the child and to remove the child from the motor vehicle.” If you see an unattended child in a car and suspect that they’re in danger, call 911 immediately and follow law enforcement’s instructions on how to aid the child.
Life distractions can also cause temporary memory loss. Place a stuffed animal in the front passenger seat, or a purse or other essential item in the back to serve as a reminder that your child is in the car with you.
Las Vegas Baby Safety Month Starts in the Baby’s Room
Las Vegas Baby Safety Month is an excellent time to inspect your baby’s room to make sure that everything is safe and secure. Pathways should be clear to prevent slip-and-fall injuries. Make sure that outlets are protected in order to avoid electrocution injuries. Check the batteries in the smoke detector to help avoid fires that can lead to burn injuries and suffocation.
A baby’s room should be tidy and only have furniture that’s properly secured. Chests, drawers, dressers, and more should be secured to a wall so that a curious baby doesn’t tip them over and hurt themself. According to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), “About 10 children under age six visit an emergency room every day due to injuries received when a piece of furniture topples over.”
Contact Lerner and Rowe
Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys hopes that you and your family have a wonderful Las Vegas Baby Safety Month. Please use this time to ensure the safest possible conditions for your children’s safety. Unfortunately, accidents happen no matter how safe you’re being. Should your child suffer a personal injury to the negligence of another party or a defective product, please contact us immediately for a free consultation.
Our team is available 24/7 to assist you. You can contact us by phone at 702-877-1500 and through the Internet via secure online form or LiveChat.