Unsecured infant carrier
Right of way ignored
Sequence of events:
At an intersection in a residential area, the driver of a passenger car failed to yield the right of way to the driver of a minivan coming from the left, causing a collision. The van hit the car on the left front side. Then the car collided with a garden fence and the van collided with two parked cars.
At an intersection in a residential area, the driver of a passenger car failed to yield the right of way to the driver of a minivan coming from the left, causing a collision. The van hit the car on the left front side. Then the car collided with a garden fence and the van collided with two parked cars.
Persons involved in the accident:
The drivers of two cars, a baby
The drivers of two cars, a baby
Consequences/injuries:
The driver's baby sitting on the front passenger seat of the car was thrown out of the infant carrier as a result of the collision, and suffered serious head injuries. Both vehicle drivers were slightly injured.
The driver's baby sitting on the front passenger seat of the car was thrown out of the infant carrier as a result of the collision, and suffered serious head injuries. Both vehicle drivers were slightly injured.
Cause/problem:
The cause of the accident was the failure of the driver of the car to yield the right of way. The DEKRA accident expert found that the infant carrier was indeed placed in the rear-facing direction but was not secured by a seat belt. Neither was the baby secured in the infant carrier by the built-in seat belt. The passenger airbag was not deactivated. Thus, the infant carrier should not have been transported in the front passenger seat, but only in the back seat. Proper securing of the baby would have reduced the serious consequences of the accident.
The cause of the accident was the failure of the driver of the car to yield the right of way. The DEKRA accident expert found that the infant carrier was indeed placed in the rear-facing direction but was not secured by a seat belt. Neither was the baby secured in the infant carrier by the built-in seat belt. The passenger airbag was not deactivated. Thus, the infant carrier should not have been transported in the front passenger seat, but only in the back seat. Proper securing of the baby would have reduced the serious consequences of the accident.
Avoidance measures, mitigation of consequences / strategy for road safety measures:
The accident could have been prevented if the car driver had observed the right of way of the minivan driver coming from the left. The accident consequences could have been mitigated significantly for the baby if the infant carrier had been properly secured and the baby had been strapped in.
The accident could have been prevented if the car driver had observed the right of way of the minivan driver coming from the left. The accident consequences could have been mitigated significantly for the baby if the infant carrier had been properly secured and the baby had been strapped in.