As the OÖN reported, on Tuesday afternoon a four-year-old boy fell six to seven meters in a brief moment of carelessness. The boy climbed over the railing of the balcony on the second floor of his aunt’s apartment and fell into the depths. The child was seriously injured and was cared for in the intensive care unit at the Salzkammergut Klinikum Vöcklabruck. According to doctors, the boy is out of danger.
“The current accident in Upper Austria once again illustrates how dangerous falls from windows or balconies are for children,” says Johanna Trauner-Karner, division manager at the KFV. “This year there have already been ten most serious accidents in which two children were even fatally injured – unfortunately a significant increase compared to the previous year.”
- Also read: Four-year-old fell from the second floor balcony in Vöcklabruck
Fly screens are not suitable as protection
Children’s urge to move and explore can, in combination with open or unsecured windows and balcony doors, develop into a major source of danger in a matter of seconds. Small children in particular find it difficult to maintain balance. The reason for this is the shifted center of gravity, which is higher compared to adults.
The Board of Trustees for Road Safety therefore recommends equipping or retrofitting all windows and balcony doors with appropriate window locks, especially in households with children. Lockable child safety handles that also allow ventilation are best suited. Cat or fly screens, on the other hand, are not suitable as a protective measure as they can give way or tear under pressure.
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Image: KFV/APA Photo Service/Krisztian Juhasz
Source: Nachrichten
