How can a child cause a car crash?

Maybe you remember being told off as a child for pulling faces at other drivers out of the back window? Your parents probably said it was off-putting to the people driving the vehicles behind you. It was to a degree, but perhaps the biggest distraction was to your parents themselves.

Children of any age can cause crashes, even when they are not big enough to reach the pedals. Or rather, they can contribute to them by distracting the driver. Turning around to deal with a child removes a driver’s attention from the road.

Toddlers are the worst of all

A recent survey of parents found that toddlers were the most distracting of all. Perhaps because infants tended to sleep more and could move about less, while older children tended to amuse themselves more and attend to their own needs.

Here is what parents of toddlers admitted to doing while driving:

• 80% passed their toddler a drink
• 78% passed them a snack
• 67% attended to a child’s tantrum
• 53% searched for something their child dropped
• 40% passed them an electronic device
• 40% passed them toys

While those actions take mere seconds, the overall interaction distracts the parent for much longer.

No court or insurance company is going to blame a child who distracts their parents for a crash. That’s not how it works. Drivers have the responsibility to ignore potential distractions or if necessary, pull over in a safe place to deal with them before continuing. Getting legal help to show a parent succumbed to distractions from their child can help you claim the compensation you will need if injured in a crash.