Car accidents are the number-one cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 19. These unfortunate deaths are often preventable through sensible safety precautions.
The most important part of car safety for child passengers is the car seat. Children under a certain height, which often varies depending on your location, require car seats. As a general rule, children need some kind of car seat until around age 10.
Infants and children under 2 need rear-facing car seats. Make sure that you fasten these seats securely and take the time to check the harness for proper positioning each time your child rides in the seat. Always use rear-facing car seats, and all car seats, in the back passenger seat, not the front.
Children between the ages of 2 and 4 need forward-facing child safety seats. These should have four-point harnesses that fasten over the chest. If your child’s head protrudes more than a centimeter or two over the top of the seat, your child is too big for that car seat. Remember never to place anything underneath a child in a car seat; this may inhibit the seat’s safety features.
Children above age 4 need booster seats until they are old enough and large enough to use adult seat belts comfortably. Choose a booster seat that is both comfortable for your child and adjusts his or her position so that the seat belt fits.
After your child has outgrown booster seats, he or she should ride in the back seat. Front-seat airbags are designed to protect adults who weigh 75kg or more, so until your child reaches that weight, it is unsafe for him or her to ride in the front.
Before driving anywhere with you kids, make sure that there are no large parcels or objects in the car. These may fly forward in a collision and cause injury. Instead, keep them in the boot of the car.
If you’re planning to drive for a relatively long time, allow your child to bring a toy or book along. Excessive noise can distract the driver and make the car an unsafe environment, so do everything you can to keep your children calm in the car.
Along those lines, purchase rear-window shades that shield your children from the sun. Children, especially infants, with too much sun in their eyes can become restless and irritable.
If you use these tips, you and your family will have a safe, pleasant driving experience. We hope we’ve been helpful!