Safety Strategy – Keeping Your Kids Safe In the Car

September 30, 2008 By Tisha (Kulak) Tolar

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of injury related deaths for kids under the age of 2 and the leading cause of death for kids between ages 2 and 14. Keeping kids safe is a parent’s priority. It goes without saying that you can never replace a child and the costs and emotional trauma of dealing with an injured child is astronomical.

When it comes to automobile safety, prevention is key. Here are several tips to child-proof your vehicle and ensure that you are driving your kids as safely as possible.

Flip the Child Locks

Vehicle doors have special child safety locks that should be engaged at all times to prevent a child from opening the door intentionally or accidentally when the vehicle is moving and also when it is stationary. Keeping the locks in place prevents children for falling out of the car while driving and doesn’t allow the kids to hop out in a busy parking lot without adult supervision.

Use Child Safety Seats Properly

More information and regulations have become available in regard to child car seats. Each different styles of chair is made to meet the requirements based on the child’s weight, height, and age. Having a seat is not enough - it is most important that the chair is properly installed in the car. Follow the instructions that came with the chair and even take it one step further by having the car seat inspected by a certified specialist which can be found at SeatCheck.org

Stay in the Back

Kids under the age of 12 should always sit in the back of the vehicle and be seated away from front and passenger side airbags. In the event of deployment, an airbag can seriously injure or kill a child.

Keep Loose Items Contained

Many people fail to consider the damage a flying object can do to a child in the event of a collision. We often don’t think twice about throwing our purse or briefcase in the front of back seat. However, in the event of a crash, those loose items can easily move around and hurt passengers in the car. Provide a young child with soft toys to play with during the drive. Hard plastic or wooden toys can be thrown during play and cause injury to the driver, other passengers, or the vehicle itself.

Keep Vehicle Doors and Trunk Locked at All Times

A vehicle doesn’t have to be moving to be deadly to a child. There have been many incidents in the news involving small children climbing in the truck of a car and getting trapped. An unlocked car can seem like an instant playground to kids but one wrong move and a car can easily be set in motion, risking the lives of many people.

Posted in autos, children, emergencies, family, lifestyle

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