Rhode Island Named Safest U.S. State – How Does Your State Measure Up?

When it comes to keeping our kids safe, some states are clearly doing better than others.

This according to Child magazine who recently released a report which detailed the findings of their six-month long study child safety issues in each of the 50 states. In all, more than 55 different areas were examined including crime rates, laws governing the use of booster seats, bike helmets and window guards, playground oversight, and the availability of emergency medicine specialists, police and firefighters.

In this month’s article, we take a look at the states that came out on top and examine some of the things they have done to put themselves among the country’s most kid-friendly states.

The Top Ten List

When all the results were compiled, Rhode Island emerged as the state that does the most to ensure the safety of its youngest residents. Not only does Rhode Island have laws that govern everything from ensuring kids wear helmets while on their scooters to life-time electronic monitoring for convicted sex offenders, the country’s smallest state has consistently been among the first to enact legislation designed specifically to protect kids. Clearly, the state’s small size is beneficial in helping them to move these laws through the legislative process rather quickly, however, it is also clear that the existence of child advocacy groups such as Rhode Island Kids Count, will enable this state to remain one of the front-runners in child safety.

Connecticut – Tops in Dealing with Allergies

According to the report, the second most kid-friendly state is Connecticut who has recently enacted procedures to keep children with life-threatening food-related allergies safe while in school. Only the second state in the nation to enact such legislation (Massachusetts was the first state to do so), these laws require school districts to train personnel in the administration of allergy-related medication as well as to develop procedures to prevent accidental exposure to allergen-producing foods.

New Jersey – From School Busses to Amusement Park Rides

The third most kid-friendly state is also on the East Coast. New Jersey has earned this ranking by being the first state to require seatbelts for all students that ride a school bus. In addition, New Jersey is behind only three other states – Ohio, Massachusetts and Minnesota – in the number of pediatric trauma centers that have been verified by the American College of Surgeons. New Jersey has also been the first state to regulate acceleration requirements and certification programs for amusement park rides.

New York – Took a Bite out of Crime

The fourth safest state for children is New York. Not long ago, New York had one of the country’s highest crime rates; thanks to some key shifts in resources the state has seen its violent crime rate drop 52% between 1994 and 2004 and its overall crime drop 45% during the same period. Now considered to be among the nation’s safest states, the legislators in New York have one goal in mind: to be considered THE safest state in the country.

Massachusetts – Carbon Monoxide Detection Pioneers

Coming in fifth is yet another state on the eastern seaboard – Massachusetts. In additional to having the lowest rate of unintentional-injury deaths among newborns to twelve year olds, Massachusetts became the first state to require carbon monoxide detectors on every inhabitable floor in nearly every home – not just newly constructed ones. The state also has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws; in addition to restricting gun ownership to residents over the age of 21, guns are required to be sold with a locking device which must be used when the gun is stored.

Illinois – Protecting Consumers & New Drivers

When it comes to product recalls, you won’t find any stronger laws than those that are in place in Illinois, where manufacturers can pay up to $500 per day in fines for defective products. The state that has been ranked as the sixth safest for kids is also one of only seven states to have met the 54 national standards outlined by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program. And in recent years, the state has also doubled the number of hours teens must spend in behind-the-wheel driver training.

Maine – Cracking Down on Bullies

Returning to the East Coast, we find the state with the nation’s second lowest violent crime rate – Maine. You will also find one of the country’s toughest car booster seat laws; kids in Maine that are under age 8 and weigh less than 80 pounds are required to sue them. Finally, all schools in the state were required to have formal policies for protecting students against bullies in place by September.

Pennsylvania – Keeping an Eye on Your Kids

In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to leave children under the age of 6 unattended in a car – even if you are able to see them from where you are. This law, which has been in effect since 1991, is punishable by up to 90 days in prison and/or a fine of up to $300. And to make sure this law is obeyed will be 4,660 state troopers – the most allowed by law to be on the state’s payroll. Finally, in Pennsylvania you will find the lowest number of sex offenders per capita than in any other state in the nation.

New Hampshire – Kids First

New Hampshire has recently passed legislation which results in a 25 year sentence for anyone who knowingly causes bodily harm to a child or sexually preys on a child under the age of 13. It is also one of only 10 states with an enhanced 911 system that allows operators to trace the origin of a call made from anywhere in the state. It is also one of only 15 states that have a special unit to address child abuse.

California – Helmets Needed to Ride

Rounding out the top ten is California. In addition to being one of only four states that requires fencing to be placed around residential swimming pools, California has the lowest number of injuries requiring medical attention among children under the age of 5 than any other state. In addition, all bicyclists under the age of 18 are required to wear helmets and in 2003, California became one of the first states to require helmets for those using in-line skates, scooters and skateboards.

You can read the entire report here.

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