Children can be particularly accident prone. They are naturally curious, and they tend to be impulsive decision-makers, which doesn’t allow them a lot of time to debate the safety of their actions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 200,000 children ages 14 or younger are treated in emergency rooms each year for playground-related injuries. More than 10% of these visits are regarding traumatic brain injuries, which can result in long-term issues.
Public playgrounds are numerous and easily accessible, so many playground injuries take place on public facilities. The highest number of these injuries are a result of using climbing equipment and monkey bars.
However, because playing on a playground can often be a good source of recreation and exercise, it’s important children are allowed to benefit from them. The best way to prevent a disaster, therefore, is close supervision.
If you know your child likes to play on the playground, it’s essential to understand what makes a safe play space. Areas underneath any equipment should be made of soft material, such as wood chips, sand, or rubber.
The equipment itself shouldn’t be hot from the sun and shouldn’t have any hazard or protrusions on it, such as bolts, hooks, or rocks. These protrusions could cause cuts, bruises, or breaks if the child runs into them or trips over them. Likewise, if any equipment is metal, make sure it hasn’t gone rusty or been broken.
Don’t let your kid wear any loose scarves or hoodies with drawstrings while they play. These types of clothing can often act as strangulation hazards if they get tangled with equipment. Likewise, your child should be playing on age-appropriate equipment. If you have small children, make sure the playground has appropriate guardrails to prevent falls.
Lastly, talk to your kids about appropriate playground behavior before you visit with them and watch them carefully while you’re there. Many accidents have happened while parents were momentarily distracted by a conversation or by their smartphones.
If your child was harmed by unsafe playground equipment, talk to one of our skilled Greenville premises liability attorneys about your case as soon as possible. If the playground is maintained by the government, you have a small window of opportunity in which to pursue a liability suit. Let us look at your situation and offer experienced legal advice regarding your best course of action.
Contact us at (864) 408-8883 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation today.