Toy shopping online presents special challenges; how to select safe gifts for children

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt will allocate funding from a $120,000 grant from Kohl’s to support the child passenger safety initiative — Kohl’s Stay Seat Smart Program.

Despite a decrease in the volume of cars on the road during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that driving patterns and behaviors were riskier, leading to an increase in accident-related fatalities since April 2020.

A change in routine can lead to a lapse in thought — and it can happen to anyone

“As kids get bored they start getting into things they shouldn’t be getting into because they have nothing else to do," says Children's Hospital safety expert.

“During the excitement and distractions of an exciting game or a noisy gathering, it is easy for a quick-moving child to pull over an unsecured television.”

As shoppers search for sales this season, injury prevention advocates want to raise awareness about the need to check for safety standards for toys — especially those purchased online.