Phoenix Car Accident Attorney Blog

“Go play outside” is the message I was always given as a child, but as a parent in today’s world, this message has more than one caveat. There are many precautions we take before going outside to prevent injury or accidents, such as putting on sunscreen or a helmet, and always keeping a cell phone in your pocket. Parents fear phone calls from a police officer or hospital, but unfortunately the parents of one Glendale teen got that call Wednesday night.

A 14-year old boy was hit by an SUV as he and his friends crossed a Glendale street, sustaining serious upper body injuries (Arizona Republic via AZ Central 10/13/10). Witnesses say the four boys were carrying their skateboards across the street, not in a crosswalk. The female driver of the SUV did not show any signs of impairment, admitting that she didn’t see the boy. The teen was airlifted to the hospital from the accident scene.

This accident served as a scary reminder to us as parents to remind our children how to enjoy sports safely. Skateboarding has been growing in popularity for many years now among children, but it remains a very dangerous sport. In 2004, 18,743 head injuries were reported due to skateboarding accidents (Safe Kids USA 2009). Wearing a helmet can prevent many of these serious injuries. It can reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and save 135-150 deaths of children between 4 and 15 every year (Safe Kids USA 2009). Some state counties require helmets on skateboarders, but Arizona’s do not. Arizona only requires helmets are worn by bicycle riders under 18. Set an example for your family by wearing a helmet, it could save a life.