Vehicles can be useful, but they can also be very dangerous. Sometimes, even something simple can be fatal. When it comes to pedestrian deaths, approximately 267 per year occur when a vehicle backs into a person. Of that number, kids under the age of five make up 31%.

Because young people are at the greatest risk of vehicle encounters like backovers, preventing the personal injury of your children around vehicles should be a top priority. Here are three tips for doing just that.

1. Tell children to avoid playing nearing cars and trucks

To reduce the chances of a car or truck backing into your son or daughter, make sure you tell him or her not to play near vehicles. In addition, educate kids on how to behave when they interact with vehicles in crosswalks, stoplights or parking lots.

2. Invest in vehicles with child-friendly safety features

Another way to keep youngsters safe is by investing in a car or truck that has child-friendly safety features. For example, automatic door locks, interior trunk releases and side-impact air bags are all great options. A rearview camera can be especially helpful for seeing behind your vehicle as your back up.

3. Never leave a child alone in a vehicle

No matter what the weather is like or how long you will be gone, leaving your son or daughter alone in a vehicle can be dangerous. Every year, children end up dying this way. Even if there is not a temperature-related risk like heatstroke or hypothermia, kids can still accidentally cause the car to roll over or drive away.

In today’s modern world, cars and trucks make up a normal part of everyday life. Making sure your children are safe around them can prevent serious and fatal injuries down the road.