Hectic lifestyles mean seven in ten mums are forced to regularly leave their children to play unsupervised while they carry out household chores, according to a new study of 2,000 mums.

The hard-hitting report also revealed another seven out of ten mums admit it is impossible to keep an eye on their child and still keep the house clean and tidy.

The figures emerged in a study compiled by Lindam to launch its Safety Day on September 6th 2012, which aims to raise awareness of the number of childhood accidents in the home.

Claire Rayner, spokeswoman for Lindam said: “Many accidents experienced by young children in the home come about because mum is understandably not able to keep a constant watch.

“There is increasing pressure on modern mums to be available at any moment for their children, while also being responsible for running the household and ensuring domestic life goes to plan for the whole family.

“She can’t be in several places at once and the results show that, it only take a minute for an accident to happen. It’s therefore about using safety productsto make the home as accident-proof as possible and allow mums at least some peace of mind,” she said.

The study found that a third of children have fallen off the sofa or tripped over in the garden, while an unlucky fifth has slipped on a floor, shut their fingers in a door or hit their head on a sharp corner.

One in six has fallen down the stairs and the same number has been hurt from a fight with siblings.

The most common time for an accident to occur was found to be when Mums were busy cooking the evening meal, while being on the phone or having to deal with older siblings were also main distractions most likely to lead to an accident when Mum’s back was turned.

Most accidents involving young children took place in the living room, followed by the garden and bedroom.

Indeed, eight out of ten admit they often leave their child to play unsupervised around the home so they can get on with jobs around the house, but an attached one in five say they’d never dream of leaving their youngest out of sight.

Unfortunately, relying on extra help is hard –a third of mums say they can’t leave their youngest with older siblings, while the same number wouldn’t ask an available grandparent to help out.

One in three will additionally experience conflict with their partner when it comes to keeping an eye out on the kids – a quarter say it causes friction in the relationship.

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In fact, a third of Mums say their partner is much guiltier of not keeping a proper eye on the kids than they are, while one in ten say their partner has no idea how hard they have to work during the day whilst managing the kids and juggling domestic life.

Claire continued: “It’s key from these findings that a minute can really make all the difference and despite parents keeping an eye on their children, there just isn’t enough hours in the day to keep watch 24 hours.

“It’s so easy and quick to put in place some very simple safety equipment such as stair gates, corner cushions and cupboard locks to ensure that parents can rest a little easier knowing that their children are protected.

“We have launched our first Safety Day as we are committed to reducing childhood accidents in the home and we feel it’s these small but important steps that can go a long way to reducing the amount of childhood accidents in the home,” she added.

TOP 10 MOST COMMON CHILD ACCIDENTS

1. Tripped in the garden
2. Fallen off the sofa
3. Fallen off the bed
4. Slipped on a floor
5. Hit head on a sharp corner
6. Shut fingers in a door
7. Injured when fighting with sibling
8. Fallen down the stairs
9. Smashed glass
10. Burnt on the cooker

TOP 10 MUM DISTRACTIONS WHILE CHILD HAD ACCIDENT

1. Cooking
2. Being on the phone
3. Other children misbehaving or requiring time
4. Working from home
5. Cleaning
6. Hoovering
7. Ironing
8. In the shower
9. Hanging out the washing
10. Getting dressed

A TEENAGE girl lies bloody and motionless on the ground.

• By Donna Walker
• Email the author
• August 23, 2012

But studies show school-age children are nine times more likely to be unintentionallly injured—on the playground or elsewhere—than to be victims of violence at school, according the National Safe Kids Campaign (Safe Kids USA). The group estimates that each year 2.2 million children ages 14 and below are injured in school-related accidents.

School-related accidents can be prevented, if parents prepare students and stay on the lookout for potential hazards. Here’s a list of safety tips from Safe Kids, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Maryland Safe Routes Program:

Walking to and from school:

• Plan a route ahead of time. Whether headed all the way to school or to the bus stop, plan a route with the fewest street crossings, and choose intersections with crossing guards, if possible.

• Do a practice walk to school with your child. Instruct them to stay away from vacant lots, fields, parks or other places with few people around.

• Teach children (on foot or bike) to obey all traffic signals, traffic signs, officers and crossing guards.

• Don’t let your child walk alone. Have them walk with a brother or sister, friend, neighbor or other family member.

• Teach children never to talk with strangers, or accept a ride. (Remind them a “stranger” can also be someone you know but not well, or someone you know but don’t trust).

• Teach your child to arrive at the bus stop early. When the bus arrives, remind them to to stay out of the street until it comes to a complete stop and to watch out for cars. Tell your child not to bend down in front of the bus to tie shoes or pick up objects (as the driver may not see them before starting to move).

Riding or driving to school:

• Drop off (and pick up) children as close to the school as possible. When dropping off, don’t drive away until you see they are inside the schoolyard or building.

• Remind children to stay seated at all times and keep their heads and arms inside the bus. Also remind them to wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before getting up, and to cross the street 10 feet (or “10 giant steps”) in front of the bus.

• Make sure the child wears a helmet if they ride a bike to school.  Research indicates that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent. For a motor scooter, add sturdy shoes, knee pads and elbow pads. (In Maryland, helmets are required by law for everyone under age 16, on a bike, motor scooter, or even skates).

• Make sure your child knows their home phone number and address. Your child should also have your work number, the number of another trusted adult and know to dial 911 for emergencies.

Adults should also take steps, to create safe walking and bicycling environments: (tips from the Maryland Safe Routes Program)

• Choose neighborhood schools within walking and bicycling distance from your home.

• Use sidewalks or bike paths that connect homes with schools.

• Make sure crossing a street is child-friendly (with school crossing guards, raised medians and/or traffic and pedestrian signals).

• Alert drivers near schools to the presence of students (on foot or bicycle), and the need to slow down.

• Use traffic calming devices installed and/or police enforcement, where needed.

• Make sure pathways are accessible for all students, with or without disabilities.

• Work with law enforcement and local officials, to enforce school zone safety and identify changes to improve walking and bicycling conditions around schools.

Once at School:

• Check out your child’s school playground equipment, looking for hazards such as rusted or broken equipment or unprotected surfaces. The ground area beneath should be covered with wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, mats or fiber material to prevent head injury from falls. Report any hazards to the school.

• Make sure that the school anchors soccer goals into the ground so they won’t tip over and possibly crush a child.

• Teach children proper playground etiquette: No pushing, shoving, or crowding (or bullying).

• Give your child some bully-coping strategies (in advance). Teach children not give in to a bully’s demands, but instead to walk away or tell the bully to stop; or if that doesn’t work, talk to the teacher.

• Avoid drawstrings (on hoods, or neck of jackets and sweatshirts). Drawstrings at the waist or jacket bottom should be no more than three inches long, to prevent being caught in vehicle doors or on playground equipment.

• Check that your child’s school has up-to-date information on recalled toys and other children’s products. Schools, daycares and parents can get recall information by fax, email, or by regular mail free of charge, by calling the Consumer Product Safety Commission hotline (800-638-2772), or visiting www.cpsc.gov.