Child fatalities in car accidents vary widely by state

In a study that examined child fatalities caused by motor vehicle accidents throughout the country from 2010 to 2014, California, with 200 deaths, ranked second highest among all the states. Children were defined as being younger than 15 in the research.

A total of 2,885 children died in car accidents from 2010 to 2014. Most of them occurred on rural roads in the South, which ranked as the deadliest region in the U.S. with 1,550 child fatalities. The Midwest followed with 585 deaths, then the West with 561 and, lastly, the Northeast with 189. The study revealed that one out of five children is improperly restrained, and 13 percent of them sit in the front seat before reaching the age when it would be safe to do so. Researchers calculated that increasing the proper use of restraints by 10 percent would prevent more than 230 children from dying each year, a figure that represents almost 40 percent of the child fatalities from 2010-2014.

The study was conducted by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Harvard and was the first one of its kind to examine child fatalities in motor vehicle accidents by state. According to one of the researchers, the disparity in the death rates by state demonstrated the need for effective laws and regulations as well as consistent enforcement.

Even if a car accident isn't fatal, it may still have devastating consequences. If the driver who caused the accident is uninsured or underinsured, the injured party may struggle to get compensated for his or her medical expenses and other costs. However, in some cases, even when a driver carries adequate insurance, the settlement they offer might not be sufficient. In these cases, an injured individual may want to consult with an attorney in order to seek fair compensation.