Why your toddler shouldn’t be driving

So I’m in my living room singing and waving a toy like an idiot trying to convince my 2-month-old daughter that tummy time is not torture, when I hear a noise.

Actually it starts as a noise that crescendoes into a crunching and crashing sound sending the dog into hysterics and propelling me outside, where a Toyota is resting in a ditch next to our driveway.

“That’s unusual,” my sleep-deprived self thinks, followed by “what happened to the carport?” “Where’s the big bush?” and “Could I use this for a column?”

It took seconds to wipe out some honeysuckle bushes and total three beams holding up our carport.

And the driver responsible for this messy and expensive accident? A toddler.

While Dad fiddled around with the car outside, inside the tyke (who wasn’t restrained in a child-safety seat) evaded Mom’s grasp and grabbed the gearshift, putting the Toyota into reverse aimed for our driveway.

Fortunately, no one was hurt. Unfortunately, the parents who live nearby our West suburban home are uninsured. Meanwhile, our insurance carries a $1,000 deductible.

But enough about moi. Time to see what the statistics show about freak accidents, leaving kids unrestrained in cars and uninsured motorists.

Ÿ Nearly 14 percent of motorists are uninsured, estimates the Insurance Research Council, a not-for-profit group funded by the industry. That’s about one in seven drivers, so just remember to give yourself plenty of space in that next traffic jam. Actually, here in Illinois, give yourself even more space because 15 percent of drivers have no insurance. Those numbers could go even higher because of the weak economy, the IRC predicts. Not surprisingly, there’s a big connection between going uninsured and not having a job — a boost of 1 percent in the unemployment rate correlates to a more than .75 percent rise in uninsured drivers.

Ÿ Regarding our wannabe-driver, the toddler, who turns out to be one lucky kid. Vehicle crashes kill more than 5,000 children and teenagers under 21 years of age in the United States each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The nonprofit group Safe Kids USA reports that nearly half of children who die in vehicle accidents weren’t in safety seats. But those who use car seats and booster seats have an 80 percent lower risk of losing their lives.

Ÿ As for the weirdness factor — we weren’t alone. The most recent data from 2007 shows 1,747 people died and 841,000 suffered injuries in nontraffic crashes — accidents not occurring on a roadway, the NHTSA estimates. Causes include carbon monoxide poisoning, falling from a vehicle, hyperthermia and hypothermia, exploding tires, door-related injuries and mishaps related to getting in the car.

The list doesn’t include toddlers driving, but it should. As for us, we’re considering getting bumpers for the carport.

Flotsam and jetsam

Ÿ Senior Driving Awareness Week runs today through March 31. To find out about free Rules of the Road classes seniors can take, call (800) 252-8980.

Ÿ It’s no joke, it’s National Walk to Work Day this April 1. The Active Transportation Alliance is encouraging people to hit the pavement armed with comfortable shoes. If you’re like me with a hefty commute of 20 miles or more, the group says you can cheat by taking transit or driving part of the way. For info, check out the website Activetrans.org.

Ÿ IDOT holds a meeting on fixing Route 131 between Russell Road and Sunset Avenue from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. this Wednesday at Beach Park Middle School, 40667 N. Green Bay Road, Beach Park.

Ÿ Watch for a new American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation on child-safety seats this Monday.