Jul 07 (News On Japan) - In May, a tragic accident occurred in Tokyo when a 2-year-old girl died after her neck was caught in a car window. This incident raises concerns about the potential dangers of car windows. What precautions should be taken when traveling with children in a car?
In Tokyo, a 2-year-old girl was hospitalized after her neck was caught in a car window. Despite medical efforts, she was later pronounced dead. According to investigators, the girl's mother was in the driver's seat while the girl was in the back seat in a child seat, though she was not strapped in. The car had standard power windows.
The mother told the police that she had opened all the windows for ventilation and later closed all but the one by her daughter's seat. However, it was found that all windows were closed. The mother noticed her daughter's neck caught in the window about 20 minutes after starting the car.
An experiment by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) demonstrated the strength of power windows, showing that even vegetables can be cut, and an 8-year-old cannot stop the window with both hands. Even a woman in her 30s could not stop it with one hand.
Parents have voiced concerns about the difficulty of maintaining attention while driving. One parent mentioned the challenge of ensuring a child is securely fastened in a car seat, noting that their child often resists being strapped in.
It is crucial to ensure that children are properly secured in their car seats and to check that the harness or seatbelt is not loose. Avoid compromising on safety, even if the child is resistant.
When closing windows, it is important to visually check and use mirrors to confirm that no one is near the window, and to announce your intention to close the window. Some cars are equipped with anti-pinch safety features that stop the window if an object is detected, but overreliance on these features can be dangerous as they may not always function correctly.
In addition to windows, sliding doors also pose a risk of injury. It is important to supervise children and use child lock features when opening and closing doors.
While power windows and sliding doors provide convenience, they also pose potential hazards. It is essential to exercise great caution when operating these features to ensure children's safety.
To summarize, the JAF advises always checking for safety with a visual inspection and mirrors before closing windows, ensuring children are properly secured in car seats, and utilizing window lock features. Not all cars have anti-pinch features, and these may not always function properly, so caution is necessary.
According to the Child and Family Agency, accidents involving children getting caught in car windows are most likely to occur in children aged 0 to 3 years.
Source: 日テレNEWS
