Everyday people hop into their cars to get to their destinations. Whether it’s commuting to work or picking the kids up from school. We spend a lot of time in our cars. But even if you follow all of the rules of the road, there are other people that can cause accidents. If you travel with children often, here is how you can keep them safe in your car.
Child Safety Locks
Kids love to explore their environments. When it comes to having a child as a passenger in a car, they may be tempted to yank on the door handles. Door handles are easily accessible to children that have to sit near the doors of a vehicle. And if the door isn’t locked, you risk your child fallingout of the car or causing an accident when the door hits the car next to you.
Your child may also want to get out of your car the minute you stop in a parking lot or driveway. If they run away while you aren’t looking, they could also get hurt. To make sure your kids are safe in the back seat, you should always activate the child safety locks when you drive.
When child safety locks are engaged, the only person that can unlock the car doors is the driver. These locks stay engaged when you park your car and while you are driving. So you can also keep track of where the kids are in the car and make sure they never have a chance to open a car door when you aren’t looking.
Car Seats
From the minute you take your child home from the hospital you need to have a car seat. Since children are smaller than adults and weigh much less, a traditional seatbelt is not enough to save your child during an accident.
Without a car seat, a child could be thrown from their seatbelt. Car seats ensure that your child is always buckled in and won’t move in case of an accident.
Get the Right Car Seat
One common mistake is keeping growing children in the same car seat for too long. As your child grows, you’ll need to also get car seats that grow with them. An infant or small toddler will be most safe in a rear-facing car seat. While larger children can graduate to forward-facing car seats and boosters.
When you purchase a car seat for your child you also need to make sure that you get a car seat that fits your car. Some car seats may not be compatible with the make and model of your car. So to keep your children the safest, you’ll have to do a little research or know the specs of your car well to find the right one.
Always Buckle Up
If you are driving children that are too big for car seats, you can always keep them safe by making sure they buckle up. If the children are big enough to buckle their own seat belts, make sure you remind them to do so every ride. This will help them get into the habit and naturally buckle their seat belts every time they get into a vehicle.
You can lead by example here as well. If you are the adult in the car and you show the children you are with that you always buckle your seat belt, they’ll be more inclined to do so.
If you are purchasing a vehicle you should make sure that it has rear seat belt light indicators. With this feature, you will have a light go off on the front dashboard or somewhere else near the driver to alert you that a seat belt in the back was not buckled.
Be Aware of Your Airbags
Airbags deploy quickly and can sometimes cause harm when they go off. This is one of the reasons why children under a certain height and weight cannot sit in the front seat. Many vehicles have interior airbags on the side of the back doors that children can easily lean on. Make it a point to ensure your child knows not to lean on any airbags on the doors, even if it’s a comfy spot to take a nap.
If you ever find yourself in an accident, big or small, especially with your children, you’ll want to make sure you take all of the steps necessary after the fact. You can work with lawyers at JTLegal to help with all of the details of your accident. Luckily, vehicles are equipped with tons of safety features, so even if you are in an accident you and your children should be okay. But if you have extensive damage done to the car or any bodily harm, work with trusted lawyers to get the compensation you deserve.
Conclusion
Driving with your family can be a great time to bond and decompress. Whether it’s picking up the kids from their activities or taking a road trip to visit grandma. You want to have a smooth ride no matter what. Making sure your children are safe every time you get behind the wheel can make every ride a good time. No matter what, accidents can happen, but taking the necessary safety steps beforehand can keep everyone safe in the long run.
