Safety First: The Dangers of Windows

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Fact: Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries in children less than 14 years of age. More than 80% of fall-related injuries among children ages 4 and under occur in the home.

You've child-proofed your home room-by-room. You've check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. You've covered all electrical outlets and you've even mastered how to install your car seat. But there is one potential hazard you may have missed or underestimated. As cooler weather arrives and people are opening their windows again, be aware of young children who may have access to windows -- and not just in high rise buildings. Many falls occur from modest heights. 

Windows play a vital role in home safety, serving as a secondary escape route in the event of a fire or other emergency, but they also pose a risk for a fall if safety measures are not followed. While most windows have screens, they are not designed to provide protection to keep a child safe.  Prevent window-related injuries in the home:

• Never rely on window screens to keep children from falling out of windows. A screen is not a safety device. It is designed to keep insects out, not to keep children in.
• Keep furniture such as sofas, beds and dressers away from windows. This will discourage children from climbing near any windows.
• Keep windows closed and locked when they are not being used.
• When windows are open for ventilation, take advantage of all safety features. If possible, open windows from the top and not the bottom if you have double-hung windows – the kind that can open down from the top as well as up from the bottom.
• Install safety devices such as window guards or window stops to help prevent falls.
• Remind grandparents and other caregivers about window safety.
• Always supervise children and keep their play area (or "home school" area) away from windows.

Toddlers are top-heavy. Their heads are bigger in proportion to the rest of their body than adults.This means they are more likely to fall head first, injuring their skull and brain upon impact. Window falls can happen quickly and, in some cases, be deadly. 

• If you see that a child has fallen out of a window and is lying on the ground not moving, do not move them. Call 911 and wait for emergency responders.
• Seek medical attention after a window fall, even if your child appears to have no injuries. 

Did someone say "Virtual Car Seat Check?'

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In mid-March we suspended all in-person car seat checks to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Like many other services, our resources went online. We began to offer virtual car seat checks in late March and continue to offer this service.

The Covid pandemic has upended almost all facets of our lives. Still, babies are being born and parents, grandparents, and other caregivers continue to need to transport kids in vehicles safely. To that end, MCFRS’ Car Seat Program has had to modify the way we provide caregivers with child passenger safety resources. Our goal continues to be to provide high quality, relevant, and timely child passenger safety assistance to all caregivers in need.

Virtual Car Seat Assistance

Our virtual car seat check appointments mirror what we would do during a regular in-person car seat check. We verify that the seats are not expired and operational. If the caregivers have already installed the seat, we take the necessary steps to ensure that the car seat is installed correctly. If it is not, we will walk the caregiver through the steps to correctly install the car seat. If the caregiver has not installed the seat, we provide step by step instructions. We always have our computers open to that car seat’s instruction manual as a reference and we have a demonstration car seat to provide guidance on our end of the video.

Once the car seat is correctly installed, we review the features of that specific car seat and we demonstrate how to correctly harness a child into the car seat using our demonstration seats and dolls. We also take the time to answer all questions that the caregiver may have. As with in-person car seat checks, our goal at the end of the virtual appointment is to make the caregiver feel comfortable and confident using their car seat and that all their questions have been addressed. To schedule a virtual car seat appointment with us, visit .

However, MCFRS is not the only program to offer virtual car seat appointments. Most car seat manufacturers have begun offering virtual appointments to assist that families that bought that manufacturer’s car seat. Maryland Kids in Safety Seats, a statewide program, also provides virtual car seat appointments as does the Fitzgerald Auto Mall group.

Telephone Assistance

MCFRS’ car seat program continues to offer assistance via phone.  If you have any questions related to car seats such as when to move you child from one stage of car seats to the next or if you feel that a part of the car seat is not functioning properly or not correctly installed, give us a call. Need to schedule a virtual car seat appointment?  Call us at 240-777-2223 and we’ll gladly answer your questions.

Online Resources and Videos

We have also posted valuable resources and links to videos on our website. We provide links to videos on how to properly install car seat. There are many videos online, especially on YouTube, that offer guidance on how to install car seats but not all of them provide correct information. To address this, we have video links to reputable organizations. We also have links to other national car seat organizations and car seat manufacturers. In some cases, caregivers feel more comfortable going directly to the car seat manufacturer to address their questions or concerns and we provide those direct links. Visit our resources page: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcfrs-info/tips/parents/carseats.html.

Please remember to never leave a child alone in the car and always buckle up! Everyone, every ride. Stay safe and healthy.