Driveway and garage injuries have risen - here’s how to keep your family safe

Recent hospitalisation data by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed that there are over 130 garage and driveway incidents reported each week, many of which involve children.

“They [children] don’t know that a garage and driveway can be dangerous,” says Kidsafe NSW, Executive Officer, Christine Erskine.

“Young children in particular do not have the experience or brain capacity to determine risks involving vehicles,” she adds, which puts them at greater risk of a wide range of injuries.

“Garage and driveway injuries can range from just a minor bump, scratch or bruise, to an ultimately tragic outcome.”

And according to Kidsafe NSW, one of the greatest misconceptions that can lead to injury, is that the driveway is not seen as a road.

“The precautions parents teach their children when crossing a road should take place in the home too.

"On average, each year, more than five children are killed and 47 seriously injured on driveways across Australia. Sadly, most drivers are known to the child and they weren't aware that the child was nearby - all vehicles have blind spots,” Erskine explains.

While vehicles and equipment often pose a risk in driveways, in the garage it can also include power tools, batteries, garage doors and chemicals (including paint, oil and gas).

“The garage has many potential dangers,” Erskine says, which is why checking in and around the garage for risks should be a high priority for all families.

One overlooked, yet potentially risky item here is the garage door remote, which Erskine says should not be treated as a toy.

“The garage door opener button should be mounted at least 1.5m high and is out of reach for children. Garage door remotes with coin/button batteries must be child-resistant and secured with a screw(s) so that the remote cannot release the battery, as button battery ingestion poses an extreme risk in children,” she says.

Another important factor is to remember that when it comes to driveways and garages, kids are kids, and we [adults] need to supervise.

“First and foremost, it’s not up to the children! Even older children will still chase a ball onto the road or rapidly scoot down a driveway without looking or opening the connecting door from the house to the garage unsupervised. Kids don’t risk assess - they just have fun! 

"That’s why the adults need to create the ‘barriers’ to minimise if not try and eliminate the risk of preventable injuries, and always employ active supervision (which means eyes up from your phone!),” says Erskine.

To help both children and parents, Kidsafe worked with Merlin to create the garage safety checklist.

“It outlines all the potential hazards that can pose a risk for a child, and how parents can quickly and easily help reduce these risks.

"We look at everything that can cause a potential risk in the garage - from making sure the garage is well-lit, shelves are anchored properly to the wall, to ensuring any dangerous or toxic chemicals are sealed properly and stored in a locked cabinet out of reach of children,” she says.

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