car seat in front seat, moving...ASAP!!!!! - Page 2

[theatermom]

Do you have a tarp or a blanket or something like that to cover the loose stuff? It wouldn't be perfect, of course, but if you could cover it all and wedge the edges of the covers under the boxes, it would at least buffer the loose stuff a bit.

Do remember that although there is always a risk of having an accident (and I see no reason not to call them this), and we should always be as careful as we can, most of the time, our car trips are uneventful. I don't think we need to be afraid to drive, even under less than perfect conditions. :

[dallaschildren]

Originally Posted by theatermom

Do remember that although there is always a risk of having an accident (and I see no reason not to call them this),

I disagree. The word accident is an oxymoron. Using the word accident is saying that the events were outside human control or influence. More specifically, an accident is an event that happens unexpectedly without a deliberate plan or cause. Unintentional injury or death is a predictable occurence resulting from specific variables and interventions which are by nature, causes. Specific variables and interventions can be human, vehicle, physical or environmental, or socio-economic. A few examples would be drunk driving, bad brakes, wet roads, worn tires, speeding, road hazzards and on and on. So a person's car could be maintained, the roads could be dry, and they haven't been drinking, but you can't say that about the other X number of drivers on the road. When the person who has been drinking gets behind the wheel and slams into the sober you, that is no accident.

Dallaschildren
CPS Instructor and momma to 2 sons in seats

[theatermom]

I do see your point, up until a point. However, even given your definition, some wrecks *are* accidents and some are not. Changing the word from "accidents" to something else (what would you suggest?) doesn't really do anything. People are not going to stop being irresponsible simply because you change the word to reflect intentions. Usually I am of a mind to pursue specificity in language, because I think that it's important to say what we mean, and for others to understand what we're saying. However, I truly see no reason to change this word.

[isaberg]

Do what ya gotta do. Manage the risks as best as best you can, and get on with life. It's what we do every day as parents. :-)



(Ps - where do you think kids ride in trucks?)

[dallaschildren]

Originally Posted by theatermom

I do see your point, up until a point. However, even given your definition, some wrecks *are* accidents and some are not. Changing the word from "accidents" to something else (what would you suggest?) doesn't really do anything. People are not going to stop being irresponsible simply because you change the word to reflect intentions. Usually I am of a mind to pursue specificity in language, because I think that it's important to say what we mean, and for others to understand what we're saying. However, I truly see no reason to change this word.

It has been really difficult for me not to refer to car wrecks as accidents. I have had to re-train my brain so to speak and I still slip. It is part of the training when you become a CPS tech and even the police officers who sit in CPS training classes find it very difficult to stop referring to them as accidents. It is for most just a word and a common one at that. But with respect to child passenger safety, it is most definately more than just a word. It has to do with the big picture, and one of our biggest responsibilities is to assist in preventing injury. There is specific instruction on crash variables, their types, and their influence and most of our instruction does much to empower us to help debunk common myths and misinformation and spread that information to the masses.
I haven't stated or even alluded to the fact that just because I changed the word people are going to stop being irresponsible. And BTW, I am not trying to change anything. My instruction started with Safe Kids and it makes perfect sense to me now that I know.
My definition of an accident was pretty clear. I said in part that an accident occurs without a cause. I went on to say that there are many examples of causes and listed some examples. Hence the word accident (as is applied to a vehicle collision) is an oxymoron. There is always a cause. Always. And so I teach that there is no such thing as a motor vehicle "accident" and why.

DC

ETA I don't normally go around correcting people. But since it was referred to in this thread, I thought it might be an opportunity to throw some information out here.

[theatermom]

I hear ya, and totally see where you're coming from. However, and I promise that I'll give it a rest after I say this : , there are many different acceptable definitions of accidents, including:

# a mishap; especially one causing injury or death
# anything that happens by chance without an apparent cause
# An accident is something going wrong unexpectedly. Physical examples include an unavoidable collision (including a person or object falling by chance). The term is also loosely applied to mean any undesirable outcome, even if it could have been avoided, such as getting injured by touching something sharp, hot, electrically live, ingesting poisons, or other injuries caused by lack of ordinary precautions.
# An unforeseen and unintended event.
# Any sudden event which is unintended.
# any occurrence which results in personal injury, disease or death, or property damage.

I'm curious: in your training, do they state the purpose of not calling wrecks accidents? I ask because I really want to understand the rationale; how does it help? Particularly in the realm of child safety?

BTW, I totally respect what you do, and am glad that you (and others) are willing to help educate people on these (and other) issues.

[Joannarachel]

The logic behind not calling them 'accidents' is to make people aware that they ARE responsible. Most 'accidents' are avoidable by one or the other or both parties involved. By mature and careful driving, you significantly lessen your risk.

In EMS we call them MVCs (Motor Vehicle Collisions) for this reason. They really aren't accidents.

[theatermom]

Thanks! If you read my other posts, you'll see that I said exactly that regarding responsibility and safe driving. : It usually takes 2 factors to make an "accident" -- whether it be wet roads plus speeding, or running a red light plus an "unsafe start".

And while I agree with the logic, I doubt that it really makes a difference in the minds of most people. A rose is a rose, and all of that. I guess I believe that very few wrecks are intentional, even if they result from human error (absentmindedness, slow reaction times, etc.) or poor decisions (choosing to accelerate out of an intersection, etc). Reckless and dangerous decisions are a whole other category -- drunk driving, not using child restraints, speeding in excess of 5-10miles over the limit, running red lights, etc. etc. These decisions are not accidental, but it still makes little difference whether we call the result an accident or not. The people involved are not held less responsible for the outcome.

However, I do understand why it's important for those involved in dealing with the situation (police officers, EMTs, judges, etc) to use specific language to avoid clouding the issue. Thanks for the info!