Window falls are highest in July. Here are 8 tips for staying safe.

Korin Miller
What you can do to prevent window falls, according to experts. (Getty Images)
What you can do to prevent window falls, according to experts. (Getty Images) (mediaphotos via Getty Images)

More than 3,300 children under age 18 go to the emergency room each year due to injuries from falling out of a window. Falls from windows are the most common in July, when temperatures soar and people are more prone to opening their windows.

“Not everyone has the opportunity to have air-conditioning to keep rooms cool,” Kevin Borrup, executive director at the Injury Prevention Center, Office for Community Child Health at Connecticut Children's, tells Yahoo Life. In some areas of the country, like the Pacific Northwest, air-conditioning is less common than in other parts of the U.S., leaving homeowners relying on cross breezes to cool off indoors.

“But once windows are open, it raises the risk that young children will fall out of a window,” Borrup says.

Window falls, which can happen at home, while visiting family or while traveling, are serious. “Injuries are often to the head and can cause permanent disability or death,” Erin Summa, health promotion program manager for the Center for Childhood Safety at Mary Bridge Children’s hospital, tells Yahoo Life. “You don’t need to be in a constant state of worry, but it is important to learn the risk factors and implement proven prevention strategies.”

Many people aren’t using safety features in their windows or aren’t aware that they can help. A Safe Kids Worldwide survey found 70% of parents say they’ve never used certain safety features in their windows to prevent falls. But it’s not just kids who are at risk: Pets and even adults can fall out of windows, Borrup points out.

So what can you do to prevent window falls? Safety experts say these steps can help.

It’s a huge misconception that screens will protect children from falling from a window, Summa says. “Window screens are designed to keep bugs out, not kids in,” she says. “It takes very little pressure to pop them out — even a young child can easily do it.”

Window guards are specialized devices that screw into the side of a window frame. “They have bars no more than 4 inches apart,” Gina Duchossois, injury prevention manager at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and chair of Safe Kids Southeastern PA Coalition, tells Yahoo Life.

Window guards create a gate of sorts across the window to protect anyone who may fall on or lean against it, Borrup says. “Most have a quick release so if there is some kind of emergency, you can take them out and use the window if needed,” he says.

While window guards allow you to fully open your window, window stops keep them from opening more than 4 inches, Duchossois explains. Borrup says you can get them at most home stores, adding that they go in the track of the window.

The 4-inch gap allows a breeze to flow through but isn’t large enough for a child to fall through, he says.

Kids like to fiddle with things, including sliding windows. That’s why Duchossois recommends installing locks on sliding windows, if they’re not already in place, and using them.

If you have standard windows and they can be opened from the top, Summa suggests opening them this way rather than from the bottom for added safety prevention. “Keep the windows closed, if you can,” she adds.

Kids (and pets) can be crafty about gaining access to a window when they want to. “Consider furniture placement to avoid creating opportunities for little climbers to reach a window,” Summa says. Meaning, keep elements like benches, chairs, dressers, desks and tables away from windows that you plan to open.

Borrup also recommends being mindful of furniture that kids could push to a window, like a lightweight chair or stool.

Teach kids not to play near windows — but still watch them closely

Summa suggests teaching kids that they should stay two steps away from windows. However, she stresses that parents shouldn’t count on that happening. “Don’t rely on them to always remember and do that,” she says.

This is why Duchossois says that “proper supervision is key," adding: "Never leave young children at home unsupervised.” However, supervision often isn't enough to keep kids from falling, Summa says. “In most cases, an adult was present at the time of the fall but could not stop it from happening,” she says.

If your child visits their grandparents, other family members or friends, Summa recommends checking out or asking about the window safety situation there. “Once you have put window safety measures in place at home, don’t forget to assess other places they visit, too,” she says.

While window falls can and do happen, experts stress that these can be avoided. “By practicing supervision and restricting window openings, parents can prevent falls,” Borrup says.

Advertisement