CHILD casualties peak during the after school rush between 3pm and 7pm, according to new figures from the Child accident Prevention Trust while children in the region are more than twice as likely to suffer a serious burn between 3pm and 6pm.
The charity found that teatime is dangerous for children in the West Midlands.
The peak in child road deaths and injuries is linked to the after-school rush. In fact, the charity reports that there are more serious and fatal injuries to school-age pedestrians in the afternoon and early evening than at any other time of day.
The peak in serious burns reflects how, for many parents, teatime is when demands on their time also peak. Hot drinks are by far the biggest danger, followed by burns from the iron, kettle, cooker and bath. Babies and toddlers are most at risk, making up almost half of all child burns victims.
The findings mark the launch of Child Safety Week, a national awareness campaign run by the charity.
Commenting on the findings, Katrina Phillips, chief executive, of the Child Accident Prevention Trust said: “Simple changes to teatime routines can protect children from serious harm – whether that’s putting your mug of tea out of reach or practising road safety on the walk home from school.”
