As another languid summer in Tampa Bay draws to a close and children prepare to return to school next week, drivers should prepare to be particularly careful on the roads during the early morning and afternoon commutes. In recent years, there have been far too many incidents of motorists striking children walking along high-traffic roads in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, among others, on their way to school or the bus stop.
n March 2011, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning to consumers about inflatable spheres, stating that they create the risk of suffocation and drowning. One major concern with the product’s design is that users have no way to escape in the event of an emergency; the spheres are air-tight and may only be opened from the outside. For this reason, the CPSC warned that the product “significantly heightens the risk of injury or death when a person inside the ball experiences distress.”
As the 4th of July approaches, most families are busy preparing plans for Independence Day weekend. Unfortunately, so too are car crashes and other highway vehicle accidents.
Tyler Morr died this past Wednesday afternoon, May 23, 2012, at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida after sustaining grievous injuries following a youth race car crash on the preceding Saturday. Tyler was only 12 years old and a racing competitor within the cockpit of a high performance race car at the time of his fatal crash. Needless to say, the standards for ensuring safety of the competitors are not always clear when it comes to a stock car race involving children.
The hazards of some toys that may find their way under your tree this holiday season can be serious—even fatal. On November 22, 2011, the Florida Public Interest Group (“PIRG”) released its 26th annual “Troubles in Toyland” report on dangerous toys.
Among the protective legal measures concerning child safety is the “Attractive Nuisance Doctrine.” This doctrine is applied in the context of personal injuries to children as a result of a property owner’s negligent failure to warn, repair, or properly maintain the premises to prevent foreseeable harm to minors.
