5 Common Summer Injuries for Kids and How to Prevent Them

June 1, 2022

While summer means the opportunity for kids to get outside and enjoy themselves, it also means the risk of accidents and injuries for young people. Here are five of the most common summer injuries suffered by kids and tips parents can follow to help prevent these accidents and injuries.

Bicycle Accident Injuries

The warmer weather means kids are more likely to be out on their bikes. However, this means the potential for bicycle accidents, whether that means a child falling off their bike or wiping out when riding, or a more serious accident involving a collision with a motor vehicle.

Steps that families can take to help reduce the risk of bicycle accidents and the severity of injuries sustained in an accident include:

Always wearing an appropriately sized bike helmet. If a child suffers an accident or a fall off their bicycle, parents should inspect their helmet and replace the helmet if it displays any signs of damage.
Younger kids should also wear elbow and knee pads to further reduce the severity of injuries in an accident.
Kids should always wear brightly colored clothing and have reflective materials on their helmets to help make them more visible to motorists.
Parents should ride bikes with their kids until they learn the rules of the road since bicycles on the road are subject to the same rules as vehicles.

Playground Accident Injuries

Playgrounds are a popular way for young kids to pass the time and stay active during the summer. However, accidents on playgrounds or involving playground equipment frequently lead to serious injuries, including soft-tissue injuries, lacerations, broken bones, and head or traumatic brain injuries. Tips for reducing the dangers of playground accidents include:

Taking kids only to playgrounds with soft surfaces, such as rubber matting or sand; avoid playgrounds built on concrete, gravel, or hard ground
Maintaining active adult supervision at all times to ensure kids do not engage in dangerous or reckless behaviors on playground equipment that can lead to an accident

Trampoline Accident Injuries

Many families will set up a trampoline in the backyard for kids to play on in the summer. However, trampoline accidents can lead to injuries such as lacerations, bone fractures, and head injuries. Important trampoline safety tips to keep in mind include:

Consider only allowing one person on the trampoline at a time to help avoid collisions or one child landing on another
Regularly inspect the trampoline for signs of serious wear and tear, including rusting springs or fraying or tearing of the trampoline mat
Install a net around the edge of the trampoline to prevent kids from falling onto the ground
Place a trampoline on softer surfaces, avoiding hard concrete

Swimming Accident Injuries

Summer means swimming season, but water activities can quickly prove deadly. Drowning is one of the leading causes of fatalities for young children. Even if a child is a strong swimmer, they can still easily get into serious trouble while in the water. Steps to help reduce the risk of swimming accidents include:

Always have adult supervision whenever kids are in or near the water
Make sure that pools have fencing or covers that can be secured
If in a boat on a lake or on the ocean, kids should always wear a Coast Guard-approved life vest

Overexertion

The warm summer weather also poses a risk of overexertion for kids, who may not stop their play to recognize the signs of overexertion. Tips to help prevent overexertion include:

If your child plays sports, consider having them participate in more than one sport to avoid overuse of certain parts of the body
Avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the middle of the day, opting instead for mornings and late afternoon/early evening
Make sure kids take regular breaks in hot weather, ideally indoors

Contact a Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Accident Case in Pennsylvania

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to an accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. represent clients injured because of accidents in Pittsburgh and the surrounding Western PA counties. Call (412) 766-1455 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 3634 California Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Home visits can be arranged in certain situations.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.