It’s estimated that one infant is strangled to death every month in the United States from window blinds. As this has become such a widespread issue, megastores such as Ikea and Target have removed corded blinds from their shelves, with other big stores such as Walmart to follow.
Unfortunately, accidents caused by window blinds are also a big issue in the UK, with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) finding at least 18 child deaths have been caused by blinds since 2010. A report from Chief Medical Officers suggests that there are millions of unsafe blinds in homes across the UK which could be the cause of future tragedies.
Why are window blinds hazardous?
Young children are naturally inquisitive and as their mobility increases, so does the danger in everyday items such as window coverings.
Although the age of children at risk extends from 7 months to 7 years old, the average age for a catastrophic accident is 23 months. At 23 months, the child’s muscular control has not yet fully developed, limiting the infant’s ability to untangle themselves. As well as this, young children suffocate much faster than adults, meaning there is less time to save them.
Shutters are safer than blinds
There has always been a debate on whether shutters or blinds are the better window covering, but when it comes to child safety, the better and most safer option is shutters.
With no cords, braids, loop chains or wires to form potential strangulation, shutters are the perfect choice to keep your family safe. Utilising a tilt rod mechanism, shutters are a more stylish and safe alternative, suiting both modern and traditional homes. Shutters are also fully compliant with EN13120.
At Totally Shutters, we understand how important it is to keep your child safe, that’s why we only manufacture shutters that are 100% child safe. Our entire shutter range is child safe, as they don’t have any cords or lose ties, making our shutters the perfect window solution for homes with young children.
For more information on our shutter blinds and how child safety is paramount in each of our shutter products, call us today on 0203 960 69 63.
