Connecticut parents go above and beyond to ensure their children remain safe in all situations. This includes trips to the grocery store, which can turn tragic in an instant should a shopping cart injury occur. While such instances seem unlikely, in fact numerous children are harmed due to shopping carts each year and some even suffer from significant injuries as a result.
According to the Washington Post, over a 21 year period approximately 530,494 kids under 15 sought emergency medical treatment as a result of injuries linked to shopping carts. These injuries occurred in spite of prevailing safety standards, which many experts point to as being inadequate for keeping serious injuries at bay.
For instance, some have called into question the positioning of child seats within shopping carts. Falls are increasingly common when it comes to shopping cart injuries (making up 70.4 percent of the total), which can easily result in head trauma. To mitigate the risk of falls, it’s recommended that shopping cart manufacturers position seating closer to the floor. This would also prevent carts from tipping over, which can have equally damaging ramifications.
Along with design changes, parents are also urged to keep safety in mind when shopping with their kids. Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers a few helpful tips, including using the attached safety straps to ensure kids stay in the proper position. It’s just as important that parents only place their children in the appropriate area, never in the bottom of a cart or on the back. Additionally, kids must never be left alone in a shopping cart. Even a minute of inattention is enough for a serious injury to occur.