There are many times when we drive with our children in the car. We all want to keep our children safe while we are driving with them on board. A good parent reads about the safety procedures that they need to follow to keep their children safe. You actually need to read safety guidelines every time you are want to learn more about safety, and your rights while on the road. Before you can contact Bell & Pollock PC injury lawyers, it is always advisable that you are aware of the road safety tips and guidelines. What are some of the things you need to do to keep children safe when in your vehicle? We shall discuss some of these safety guidelines in this article.
Here are the top 7 things you can do to keep your children safe while in the car:
- Your child should never be left in the car alone
For the general safety of the child, you should never leave them alone in the car. Even if you want to dash out for a quick errand, it may be very hot in the car and this can trigger a heat stroke on the child. The temperature in the car can easily rise by over 20 degrees in the time it takes you to be back. This is unsafe for the child.
- Ensure the child car seat is installed properly
From research done, 73% of seats are not properly installed. As such, these can easily cause an injury to a child even in the slightest instance of an accident. One of the best ways to ensure the safety of children is to visit a car seat technician if you have a slight doubt about the manner of installation of your car seats.
- Keep the child rear facing
While you drive, the child should always be rear facing. You see, until they are two years, their head and neck is not strong and cannot support them when they are facing forward. This is also safe for the child in the event of an accident.
- Avoid used car seats
It is advisable to always avoid used car seats. Unless you know the entire history of the seat, always avoid used car seats. It is important that car seats that have been involved in a crash are never used again. They are not safe at all.
- Five-point harness position
The five-point harness position is the best for your child. The 5 point safety system has better protection for the child than the three-point system of seat belts. You can even find 5 point harness seats. There are booster seats that have five-point harness position. These can go up to 90 pounds and you should go for them.
- Child placement
You should place the child in the central position in the vehicle. They should be far away from doors and windows. The middle seat at the back of the car is the right place to place the child seat. This position is far away from the windows and doors and means the child cannot be hit by airbags in the event of a crash.
- Safe driving
Even if you were to follow all the safety guideline and do not drive safely; then it would be futile following all the rules. The best thing to do is ensure that you are driving your vehicle safely so that you can guarantee safety for you and the children.
