According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, car accidents are the biggest threat and the largest single cause of fetal injury and fatality for an unborn child. Police report statistics show that approximately 200,000 pregnant women are involved in car accidents each year in the United States, resulting in up to 5,000 fetal deaths. Additionally, those with non-fatal personal injury may ultimately sustain adverse outcomes, such as permanent disability from fetal trauma. Other common injuries include the following:
The most effective protection for your unborn child is to not drive while pregnant, although that is not often feasible for most women. When you do drive, however, there are precautions you can take to provide the most protection for you and your baby.
The most important safety measure is to always wear your seat belt. Although seat belts can cause some injury, wearing one is still far safer for both you and the baby than not wearing one at all or wearing it incorrectly to avoid crossing the baby.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends wearing the shoulder strap away from your neck, but not off the shoulder, and positioned across your chest between your breasts. Position the lap belt below the baby, making sure it is snug across your hips and pelvic bone. Making these minor adjustments allows the seat belt to still properly restrain you during an accident and lowers the risk of harm to the baby.
Never forgo wearing a seat belt or put the shoulder strap under your arm or behind your back. Doing so puts you at a higher risk of serious impact injuries and the potential to be ejected, as your upper torso will not be safely constrained by the seat belt and can move freely during an accident.
If possible, slide the seat further back from the steering wheel and the airbag to reduce the potential harm from impact. This can be more challenging as the baby grows, but never position yourself too far from the steering wheel or pedals to the point at which using them becomes difficult or affects your ability to drive safely. Driving is a common challenge for women in late stages of pregnancy, especially women with lower stature who must sit close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals. In this situation, consider alternative methods of traveling that do not require you to drive, such as riding with a friend or taking public transportation.
Lastly, do not operate any vehicle that has no airbags or offers only lap seat belts. The potential for serious injuries to you and your unborn child is extremely high in cars of this type.
The most important action to take after an accident is to seek medical evaluation, even if you believe your injuries are minor. Many injuries sustained during a car accident are internal and do not often present symptoms until hours or days later and can be life-threatening for both you and the baby.
Injuries from a car accident can be difficult and emotional, but injuries sustained during pregnancy can be devastating physically, emotionally, and financially. If you are pregnant and have been injured in a car accident because of another driver’s negligence, the National Harbor car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King can help. Call us today at 202-331-1963 or contact us online for a free consultation. Located in Washington DC, Alexandria, Virginia, and National Harbor, Maryland, we work with clients in Prince George’s County, including Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park, Greenbelt, Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, Largo, Bowie, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Suitland, Seat Pleasant, Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, and Fort Washington.
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