Summer Camp Accidents

An ideal way to occupy the time of a child is summer camp. He or she can be allotted the opportunity to learn new activities, meet new people, and enjoy the great outdoors.

However, with rewards come certain risks. We must understand, as parents, the dangers which exist at summer camps. We must be sure that our concerns are properly addressed.

From the moment that children step onto the camp bus, they become at-risk. Parents hope they return home unharmed; most of the time they do return home unharmed. However, the risk is still inherent, which we take every time children are sent out into the great wilderness.

Possibly, children can sustain injuries enroute to and from the summer camp if the camp bus on which they travel becomes involved in a vehicle collision.

It’s a fact that many buses do not stipulate the use of seatbelts. Children, therefore, can sustain injuries if they are tossed from their seats, or in front of them, they hit the back of the seats with their heads.

It becomes the responsibility of the driver of the bus to get children safely to and from the camp, and the driver is held liable for any sustained injuries which happen due to an accident on the bus.

Sitting around the campfire and cooking is a popular and common activity for children to enjoy camping. However, if they are not supervised properly, they can be vastly burned if they have contact with the fire.

Many of these sustained injuries can be prevented if a counselor supervises the child. It is the camp’s responsibility to employ many staff members who are trained properly to perform first aid if a child is injured, and to ensure the safety of children.

The camp is held responsible for educating others on the safety of fires, and preventing any forest fires to diminish risk of injuries, and fires that become out-of-control.

Water can become a risk if the camp has a river or a lake. That includes being injured by a wild animal, getting caught in the current, or encountering dangers due to questionable weather.

A staff that is well-trained can make the difference between an incident that is minor, and a catastrophic drowning injury.


Child sexual abuse instances have been a concern previously at summer camps, where a member on the staff may abuse a child, or an individual who is unwelcomed may enter campgrounds, and harm an innocent child.

Owners of the camp are responsible for camp security on the site, and ensuring unwanted visitors remain off the campsite.

If a young person is abused in a surly manner at summer camp, the camp is held liable, and the victimized party can sue for damages.

Any activity that is not supervised can become dangerous readily when camp staff neglects to supervise, or use discretion to protect campers from harm.

Contact us for a free consultation or call Anzalone Law Firm PLLC, at: 603.548.3797