An important aspect of child road safety that starts at home: driveway danger and reversing cars.

As the new year begins and everyone settles back into their work and school routines, we want to highlight an important aspect of child road safety that starts at home: the risks posed by driveways and reversing vehicles.

In the US, 50 children are injured by reversing vehicles, and of this number, 2 are fatal. In 70% of cases, the driver is a parent or relative. There are few statistics for this in South Africa, but given that we have some of the most dangerous roads for children, one can assume reversing vehicles poses as much, if not more of a risk for our children.

These driveway tragedies predominantly happen to children under 5 years old, with 1-year-olds being the primary victims. 

STORIES TOO CLOSE TO HOME 

While actual statistics about reversing car fatalities in South Africa may be sparse, news stories are plenty to attest that reversing cars are a risk to our kids as well.

In 2021, a toddler was treated for serious injuries after his father reversed over him while backing his SUV out of the garage. While their mother prepared breakfast, he and his brother darted out of the house to say goodbye to their father.

“I immediately felt something was wrong and ran out. I saw him lying in the driveway. My husband said he felt he bumped something and immediately stopped. He didn’t drive over him. When he got out he saw him lying on the ground,” said Danelle Kerswell, his mother.

The article includes the eerie and heartbreaking detail that a little plastic bucket and spade lay next to the toddler.

While the Kerswell’s son may have survived the incident, a Graaf-Reinet mother faced charges of culpable homicide after she reversed over her 2-year-old toddler who died.

In 2015, a 1-year-old toddler in Constantia was also killed by a reversing vehicle in a driveway. In 2016, an 18-month-old child in Cato Ridge was also injured from a reversing vehicle in a driveway.

In an article by Highway Mail, an ER24 paramedic highlights that toddlers are the primary victims of reversing victims. He said, “All incidents involved toddlers. One incident involved a girl between 18 months and two years old. She sustained minor injuries. Another incident involved an 18-month-old boy who sustained a femur fracture, and unfortunately, there was nothing paramedics could do to save the child in the third incident.”  

WHY TODDLERS ARE HIGH RISK 

Young children, especially toddlers, are often the victims of reversing cars. They are at a higher risk due to the behaviours typical of their age and being less easily seen due to a vehicle’s blind spots.

• Toddlers have less environmental awareness. They are also less likely to notice and move out of the path of a reversing vehicle. If they are playing, they may be completely distracted from the oncoming danger.
• Toddlers are more likely to impulsively and spontaneously run into the path of a vehicle. They are also hindered physically – less coordinated, less balanced and have slower reactions. Toddlers who have just started walking tend to take off at a faster-than-expected pace with often little thought for their destination.
• Young children are already vulnerable in general when it comes to vehicles as their small size makes it hard to see around the body of a vehicle. When a car is reversing, the driver is blind to about 4-7 meters behind the vehicle. Sloped driveways leading up to a garage are very common in South Africa. These create even less visibility, having a narrow view while backing out of the garage itself.
• Children are also likely to follow a leaving person to their car, sometimes going unnoticed. Children may also run up to a vehicle to greet an arriving person without knowing the dangers of a moving car.
• Children, especially toddlers, have a higher chance of fatal injuries when knocked or driven over by a reversing vehicle. Even when not fatal, injuries are likely to be severe, resulting in brain damage or lifelong disability.

As adults, we must actively counter these factors to mitigate the risk to kids.

YOU CAN’T REVERSE TIME – AVOID THE RISK

 Many people become complacent in thinking “accidents” could never happen to them, but no one plans an accident. All it takes is a single moment of error to shatter your entire life. The risk should never be assumed to be 0%, but one can take steps to ensure the risk percentage is as low as possible.

Safety checks:

• When leaving the house, ensure the doors are closed behind you so that your child cannot follow you to the car.
• Before climbing into your vehicle, look behind and under the car.
• Keep your children in the car while you drive in or out.
• If another adult is with you, have them watch the back of the vehicle while you reverse, especially if you are reversing out of a garage.
• Set your GPS or take calls before you start your car. Avoid all distractions while driving, especially while reversing.
• When someone else is arriving or leaving your house, hold your child’s hand so they cannot dash into the path of a vehicle.
• Don’t solely rely on reverse sensors or rear cameras to show a clear path when reversing. These also have blindspots that can easily hide a small child.

Minimise the risk:

• Driveways should be inaccessible to children. If children can reach it from your garden or play area, fence it off.
• Teach your child that the driveway is a no-go zone. Allowing them to play in the driveway teaches them to become comfortable and unaware of an unsafe area. Toys should also never be left near or around the driveway.
• Teach your children to say goodbye or greet you at the door and not on the driveway.
• Open doors and gates yourself rather than teaching your small children how to open them. Young children having the ability to open doors before they learn how to navigate the world is dangerous in all aspects.

WHILE WE ARE ON THE TOPIC OF REVERSING CARS..

 Reversing cars is not only a risk to children in driveways. Anywhere where cars park is a potential danger.

Parking lots that have a high density of cars and pedestrians should also be treated with added caution. These could include malls, shopping centres, taxi ranks, schools and so on. Densely packed parking lots offer limited visibility to drivers and pedestrians. This US poll found that two-thirds of drivers are distracted while driving through parking lots. 50% of drivers admitted to texting, sending emails, using social media and setting the GPS while operating a vehicle in a parking lot.

When walking through a parking lot with your children:

• Firmly hold onto their hands while navigating a car park.
• Avoid walking behind the rear of a car where possible, making use of sidewalks.
• If walking behind a car is the only option, be vigilant of reversing cars.
• When you get to your car, secure your children inside first before loading your shopping.
• If you are loading or unloading multiple children, have your children stand with their hands on the vehicle until you are ready to go.
• Please do not allow children to run or play in the carpark and encourage them to look right and left before each crossing. To keep them from running around, try to have them stand in one place with their hands up in the air. For many small children, this sometimes will root them in place.
• Make use of pedestrian crossing areas.
• As a driver, reverse parking in a parking lot will allow you more visibility when you leave. Still, pull out of your parking spot carefully as small children may still be obscured by the height of your car.

Driveways and parking lots are spaces we navigate daily. They can become sites of unimaginable tragedy if proper precautions aren’t taken. The statistics and heartbreaking stories underscore the importance of vigilance. Especially when it comes to protecting our youngest and most vulnerable.

By adopting proactive safety measures—such as checking your surroundings, minimising distractions, and educating children about potential dangers—you can significantly reduce the risk of this happening to your child. Simple steps, like holding a child’s hand in a parking lot or securing driveway access at home, can make all the difference.

Ultimately, we all share the responsibility of ensuring our children’s safety around vehicles. A single moment of caution can prevent a lifetime of regret. Remember, you can’t reverse time, but you can reverse carefully and thoughtfully to protect the lives of those who matter most.