As a five-year-old Sherwood girl stepped off a school bus last week, the doors closed on her Disney Princess backpack. The bus driver pulled away with the backpack caught, traveling approximately thirty feet before stopping. According to a KPTV report, the girl suffered back injuries and emotional distress as a result. A nearby surveillance camera captured the ordeal, including the bus driver’s apparent failure to provide aid.
The incident is a vivid reminder of the risk of personal injuries to children from both negligence and defective products. Dangling clothing has led to recalls of drawstring sweatshirts. These products can put kids at risk of strangulation. The dangling cords may also become caught in school bus doors, increasing the chances of serious injury or death..
Fortunately, the girl involved in this Oregon children’s injury was not killed. Her experience makes it clear that backpacks present the same risk of injuries as drawstrings. The problem here is more negligence than product defect. A backpack is obviously much more visible than a drawstring, and school bus operators should be able to observe when children clear bus doors when exiting. The driver in the Sherwood case has since been fired.
Oregon parents should know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends only outerwear with closures such as snaps, buttons, Velcro, or elastic. If your child has a sweatshirt or other outerwear containing drawstrings, you should be aware of the potential danger. For information on safety guidelines for drawstrings, visit the CPSC website or the Law Office of Dane E. Johnson or call Portland, Oregon personal injury attorney Dane Johnson directly at (503) 975-8298.
Related web resources
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration School Bus Safety Program
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Guidelines for Drawstrings on Children’s Upper Outerwear
Bus Driver Accused Of Dragging Girl Fired, KPTV.com, Sept. 30, 2009.
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