Child safety
Child safety is an overarching goal, which is achieved by various measures in education , product manufacture and use that offer children , especially small children , an increased level of safety. Since children want to explore their environment and try everything out, but do not yet have the thinking skills of an adult , it is the responsibility of parents and other adults to create an environment for children in which they can grow up as safely as possible. Due to voluntary obligations and legal regulations, product manufacturers are obliged to manufacture products for small children in such a way that damage can be reduced.
Instruments that serve to increase child safety are:
- Accident prevention
- Upbringing and
- Damage reduction
background
Children are injured in around five million accidents every year in Germany. Most of these accidents (around 80 percent) happen in the home. This generally includes the apartment / house, but also the garden as well as fun and games. The most common cause of accidents among children are burns and scalds in the household, often caused by tea or other hot liquids. But children are also at risk in road traffic , especially because the small road users are often not yet able to correctly assess speeds and distances. Recently, media literacy has also been taken into account to protect children from improper use of video games, television / video and the Internet.
In Germany, the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) published a “ Child Accident Atlas ” in 2008 , based on an analysis of accidents with children in road traffic that occurred between 2001 and 2005.
According to Friedrich Allinger, head of the security department at the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG), drowning is the most frequent cause of death ; on farms it is even more common that a child is run over by a vehicle.
Accident prevention
A large number of measures serve to prevent accidents with children:
Product safety
In particular, products that are used by children ( e.g. toys ) or within the reach of children require special efforts to ensure product safety.
The legal framework here is represented by the EU directive on general product safety and in Germany by the Equipment and Product Safety Act .
Parental controls
Child locks on drawers or doors of furniture prevent children from opening them on their own initiative and accessing potentially dangerous things. This also prevents the fingers from being pinched. In addition, there are protective caps that round off sharp corners and edges of furniture so that a shock does not end in serious injuries.
Packaging with contents that are potentially dangerous for children, such as medication or cleaning agents, is often provided with a child safety device. Manufacturers of hazardous ingredients must have packaging and closures checked for child safety and adult suitability in accordance with international standards before they bring them onto the market. The push-twist locks on household cleaners are a compromise between child safety and adult suitability.
In the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, for example, child safety on lighters has long been required by law. In the meantime there is also a corresponding EU regulation - however, in October 2006 the Federal Council prevented this regulation from being implemented in German law.
Electrical sockets are a particular danger to children. This can be averted by child-proof sockets. Retrofitting the sockets with so-called "child safety devices" (usually glued in), as carried out, does not conform to the standard (IEC 60884-1) and is prohibited due to the risk of overheating of the plug pins. In Canada and parts of the United States, childproof sockets are required for new buildings and renovations. The UK , Ireland , Hong Kong and other countries use child-resistant type G sockets .
Materials and limit values
A number of materials are not approved for children's products or are subject to strict limit values. For example, the use of plasticizers in children's toys is banned in the EU.
Drug safety
On January 26, 2007, a new EU regulation to improve drug safety in children and adolescents came into force. If a pharmaceutical company wishes to approve a new drug for the European market, the results of clinical studies on children and adolescents must be submitted - unless it is not suitable for use on children and adolescents. In future, all drugs that have been specifically approved for use in children and adolescents will be marked with a corresponding symbol on the packaging.
Playground safety
The safety of playgrounds is, of course, an essential part of child safety. The necessary measures are described in the standards DIN EN 1176 and 1177. Main article: playground .
Indoor security
This includes, for example, adequate fire protection equipment with smoke alarms , the locking of potentially toxic or dangerous items such as cigarettes , lighters , cleaning agents and medicines . When buying plants, you should also choose non-toxic varieties.
Outdoor security
Garden ponds, pools or rain barrels are covered or fenced in so that no one can fall into them and possibly drown.
According to a study by the Robert Koch Institute from 2016, jumping on the trampoline is one of the most common causes of accidents involving sports or leisure equipment , especially in children aged one to six. Around 28 percent of injuries as a result of trampoline accidents are serious - especially broken arms (usually the forearm), legs or spine. Of the approximately 70 percent minor injuries, sprains of the ankle, bruises and concussions predominate. Sprains of the spine, hand and knee joints are less common. In the interest of child safety, orthopedic surgeons and trauma surgeons recommend following certain rules: Only carefully introduce children to jumping on a trampoline from the age of six; educate them about the risks; Supervise them while jumping so that they can react immediately in the event of an accident; Only let children jump alone (otherwise, especially those who are lighter than the fellow jumpers will have a catapult effect); jump in the middle; no somersaults; Avoid overexertion; do not eat or chew; just jump barefoot or in socks; do not take toys such as balls or the like with you as they increase the risk of accidents; Replace weathered outdoor nets or upholstery.
Safety on the way to school
The road provides with its high potential hazard for children a large threat. On average suffered in 2015 even every 19 minutes, a child under the age of 15 years on the road damage. The way to school and the school rush hour produced by safety-concerned parents are of particular importance in a counterproductive sense: According to the official statistics of the Statistical Yearbook, children between the ages of six and nine are still the most likely to have accidents in a car (41.5%) , and of the children killed in 2015, most of them lost their lives as passengers in a car (40.5%): In addition to the negative psychological consequences of a heated class start, these facts speak clearly against that of scientists and the police, which is also safety-relevant and the schools vehemently opposed supposedly safe parents' taxi .
According to today's traffic education, there is no longer any reason for fatalism , as evidenced by the statistics, as Peter-Habermann accusingly expressed in 1979 with the phrase “children have to have an accident”. - if a responsible, up-to-date introduction to traffic for children is carried out before and at school, for example by acquiring the pedestrian diploma . In addition, developmental psychological requirements must be observed, for example that a first grader can and should be able to walk up to three kilometers to school as a pedestrian , but that as a cyclist he can only manage this responsibly and accordingly in the third or fourth school year after passing a cycling test should be.
The longer-term statistics of child traffic accidents show a clearly positive trend, especially for the particularly vulnerable population of school starters : The number of children with accidents per 100,000 in their age group fell from 468 in 1978 to only 264 in 2015. Even more During this period, the risk of children dying on the road decreased, from 94 children to a million inhabitants under 15 years of age to 8 children in 2015. A clearly definable turnaround in the accidents that had been rising up to then took place in the mid-1970s the reorientation of traffic education to a " traffic education from the child ", the introduction of the pedestrian diploma as a kind of "driving license for school beginners", the corresponding nationwide appointment of "officers for traffic education" at the elementary schools and "senate officers for traffic education" as multipliers to the higher education howl. The educational policy measures were comprehensively accompanied by urban and road construction as well as transport policy measures by creating protected areas for children in road traffic.
Characteristics of children
- Body size: You are small and therefore cannot look over obstacles such as parked cars.
- Motor skills: You are keen on movement and motor agile.
- Field of vision: You can only see vehicles coming from the side to a limited extent due to the restricted field of vision ("tunnel vision").
- Optical perception: You can only imperfectly estimate speeds and distances.
- Acoustic perception: You can only locate and identify noises after intensive training.
- Stride length: They often try to overcome the dangerous space of the street more quickly by running.
- Response time: You need appropriate training to be able to suddenly start and interrupt your run.
- Fullness of stimulation: You take up environmental events selectively (according to their emotional significance for them).
- Mentality: You still think and act strongly from the standpoint of your own person (egocentric).
- Emotionality: You understand and act more emotionally than mentally.
- Danger awareness: You have different perceptions of danger and threat scenarios than adults.
School commuting
- School helpers: pedestrian crossings (zebra crossings), pedestrian protection systems (push-button traffic lights), school way helper crossings (school guides)
- Stop supervision
- School bus escort
Route to school
A school route map is a sketch of the route that shows the safest way for students to walk. The map instructs which side of the street students should walk on and the best place to cross the street. The plan also shows the particularly dangerous routes and indicates how they can be avoided.
School bus traffic and school bus stops
School bus stops must be well marked. The driver of a bus or school bus must switch on the hazard warning lights when approaching a stop and for as long as passengers get on or off.
Special duty of care at school bus stops:
Buses and school buses that stop at bus stops and have hazard warning lights switched on may only be driven by at walking pace . In addition, a sufficient distance must be maintained so that the passengers are not endangered. The walking speed is also mandatory for oncoming traffic on the same lane. The passengers must not be hindered. In the USA and Canada , school buses that are flashing red are not allowed to pass, not even in the opposite direction.
Securing the school environment
Traffic regulating and structural measures as well as traffic education and traffic monitoring are special measures for securing the school environment. The Accident Research of the Insurers (UDV) has published materials and aids for securing the way to school in cooperation with the police forces of the federal states, the German Road Safety Council DVR and the German Traffic Guard DVW. For parents there are leaflets, brochures and films with important information such as “How is a school route map created”, “How to deal with the authorities”, “How do I practice going to school with my child”.
For planners, traffic authorities and employees of the police, practical help is given in the "planner booklet". For secondary schools, the UDV has put together information that makes it clear that the way to school by bike must also be practiced. There are films on all topics that can support the work within a parents' evening or at traffic safety events.
education
Traffic education
Even the best "passive" security and protection measures such as pedestrian areas , walkways , pedestrian bridges , pedestrian tunnels , pedestrian crossings , pedestrian crossings , traffic islands , pedestrian signals , pedestrians sign or play streets not replace the ability of the child to recognize dangers themselves, to avoid or deal with. Therefore, the education to an "active" self-assurance is an essential instrument for increasing child safety. The children need child-appropriate didactic aids that pick them up in their experience horizon, so that they can move safely and in a partner-oriented manner in the traffic areas created by adults. It makes sense to do this first with the qualification of a competent pedestrian.
The Standing Conference of the countries had created to with its recommendation of 7 July 1972, a first educational base. The “traffic instruction” reached schools and universities as a comprehensive, compulsory educational mandate, and thus came into the focus of a wider public. As “traffic education” it was anchored in the curriculum of all federal states.
In road traffic , special demands are placed on the children's ability to perceive, concentrate and behave. In order for them to find their way in demanding situations, the children must be familiarized with certain traffic conditions early on. This task begins with the legally enshrined education obligation of the parents and continues with the traffic education measures in kindergarten and school. Children should only be on the road alone if they are adequately prepared for it, for example using suitable learning aids such as the Karlsruhe 12-step program or the game on the way to school .
Media education
Today children are confronted with the various media from an early age. In order to be able to use them competently, they must be prepared for sensible use and the dangers associated with the media. It is important to introduce rules for using the media and dealing with others in the virtual space. Children must be prepared for possible dangers in chat rooms and on websites with questionable content that they may encounter while surfing, so that they can act confidently and independently. Media education deals with this topic .
Household education
In the household it is necessary for the child to know possible sources of danger and to learn to deal with them.
Damage assessment
If accidents with children do happen anyway, it is necessary to examine the damage from this.
First aid
Since children are smaller than adults and have different proportions, they must be treated differently than adults, even in emergency life-saving measures. The corresponding first aid training centers therefore offer special "first aid in child emergencies" courses.
Institutions
The Federal Working Group on Child Safety ( BAG ) has existed since the end of 1997, and since the end of 2002 as the association “Mehr Sicherheit für Kinder e. V. ", which is committed to" promoting the public interest in problems and tasks of accident prevention ".
But the German insurance companies have also created a neutral information portal for parents through their general association ( GDV ) and are helping to educate and avoid serious accidents in the various areas of child safety.
See also
literature
- H. Holte, Profiles in road traffic of children and adolescents who have had an accident , reports of the Federal Highway Research Institute, sub-series Human and Safety, Booklet M 206, 2010
- M. Limbourg: Children in traffic . Ed .: Community accident insurance association Westphalia-Lippe, Münster 1996
- N. Neumann-Opitz, R. Bartz: Traffic education programs in teacher training and further education . Reports of the Federal Highway Research Institute, Human and Safety Sub-series, Issue M216, 2011.
- Federal Statistical Office (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch 2016. Child accidents in road traffic 2015 . Wiesbaden 2016, ISBN 978-3-8246-1049-5 (row 7: traffic accidents / annual results)
- SA Warwitz: Children in the problem area of school rush hour . In: Ding-Wort-Zahl , 86, 2007, pp. 52–60
- SA Warwitz: Are traffic accidents 'tragic' coincidences? In: Ding-Wort-Zahl , 102, 2009, pp. 42–50 and p. 64
- SA Warwitz: Traffic education from the child. Perceive-play-think-act . Verlag Schneider, 6th edition, Baltmannsweiler 2009, ISBN 978-3-8340-0563-2 .
Web links
- BAG homepage More safety for children
- das-sichere-kind.de - Parents portal on the subject of child safety and child safety
- Information on testing child-resistant packaging
- Growing up safely: accident prevention - kindergesundheit-info.de: independent information service from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA)
- Way to schoolSafetyLandkreisAugsburg
- Homepage of the UDV accident research of insurers
- Ampelini - learn safety in a playful way. For children from 4
- "We can do it" - materials on the subject of security. For kindergarten and daycare
- School route planner
- Information from DA Direkt for a child-safe home (including checklist as PDF)
- From play space to traffic space - traffic education network Vienna
Individual evidence
- ↑ Often burn injuries from hot liquids in childhood. Heilpraxisnet, December 7, 2013, accessed December 8, 2013 .
- ↑ Children's accident atlas. BASt report M 192 ( Memento of the original from April 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt)
- ^ Andreas Glas, Christian Sebald: Agriculture: Dangerous childhood on the farm. In: www.sueddeutsche.de. July 15, 2019, accessed July 21, 2019 .
- ↑ ✅12 tips for a child-safe apartment - EmotiveLiving . In: EmotiveLiving . April 27, 2017 ( emotiveliving.de [accessed July 17, 2018]).
- ↑ Child Outlet Safety ( Memento of the original from January 22, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ National Fire Protection Association ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Electrical Safety Foundation International ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Electrical code requires tamper-resistant outlets CTV News
- ↑ Orthopedic surgeons and trauma surgeons provide tips for safety when jumping on a trampoline. German Society for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery (DGOU), June 8, 2017, accessed on September 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Federal Statistical Office (ed.): Statistisches Jahrbuch 2016. Child accidents in road traffic 2015, Wiesbaden 2016, p. 5
- ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz: Children in the problem field of school rush hour . In: Case-Word-Number 86 (2007) pp. 52–60
- ↑ Federal Statistical Office (Ed.): Statistisches Jahrbuch 2016. Child accidents in road traffic 2015 , Wiesbaden 2016, p. 8
- ↑ School defends itself against parent taxis in front of the school (accessed on May 17, 2017)
- ↑ Frankfurt: Kampf dem Elterntaxis (accessed on May 17, 2017)
- ^ I. Peter-Habermann: Children have to have an accident . Reinbek 1979
- ↑ Federal Statistical Office (Ed.): Statistisches Jahrbuch 2016. Child accidents in road traffic 2015 , Wiesbaden 2016, p. 6
- ^ Henning Natzschka: Road construction, design and construction technology , Teubner Verlag, 1996
- ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz: The skills of the child . In: Ders .: Traffic education from the child. Perceive-play-think-act . Baltmannsweiler 2009. pp. 37-49
- ↑ School route planner ( Memento of the original dated June 13, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz: The way to the first solo effort . In: Ders .: Traffic education from the child . 6th edition, Baltmannsweiler 2009, pp. 190–215
- ^ R. Pfeiffer: We GO to school . Vienna 2007
- ↑ Ministry of Culture and Sport BaWü (Ed.) (1994): KMK recommendation on traffic education in schools from July 28, 1994. In Kultus und Studium 15/1994. Stuttgart
- ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz: Traffic education from the child . Baltmannsweiler 6th edition 2009. pp. 190–215, pp. 216–221
- ^ MA Haller: Traffic education in pre-school age as preparation for the way to school according to the Karlsruhe 12-step program . Scientific state examination work GHS. Karlsruhe 2001
