
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 26, 1990                   TAG: 9006260202
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Tammy Poole
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CHILDREN SHOULD RIDE IN SHOPPING CART SEAT

Q: I was shopping in a supermarket last week. My 2-year-old daughter, who was riding in the basket part of the cart, leaned over. Before I could get to her, she leaned over and fell out of the cart, landing on her head!

Fortunately she was more scared than hurt, but she could have been seriously injured.

Since the accident, I've talked with people who work in other stores, and I'm told that this kind of thing happens all the time. Sometimes the whole cart turns over, too. I think other parents should be warned about this problem, and how quickly this kind of accident can occur. - N.J., Roanoke

A: Accidents such as the one your daughter had do happen all the time. Falls from shopping carts are among the leading causes of head injuries to young children treated in hospital emergency rooms, according to the state Division of Consumer Affairs.

Two years ago, there were approximately 12,000 hospital emergency room-treated head injuries to children under 5, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Many of these injuries were due to falls from shopping carts. Shopping cart-related injuries overall doubled from 1980 to 1986.

To prevent falls from shopping carts, make sure the child rides in the fold-down seat and uses the seatbelt that is generally provided. Also, watch the child closely while shopping.

To report an unsafe consumer product or product-related injury, contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at (800) 638-2772.

by CNB