How to Keep Kids Safe in a Car
Posted by admin at 22 March 2019, at 09 : 11 AM
When our children get to certain age, we completely rearrange our houses. As soon as a baby starts toddling all of the breakables are moved up high, the cupboards are locked, and the baby gates are put in place. However, we rarely think about doing the same with our cars. Children like to explore and test their boundaries, and a car can be a dangerous place to do it. So, how do you ensure your child stays safe while you’re travelling?
Seat Expiration Dates
It can be easy to forget to check expiration dates on child seats. Each seat will have a limited age, weight or height for a very good reason. If a child bigger than the weight limit of a seat is still using the seat, the child could be thrown during a car crash or a sudden jolt. Many seats will come with an expiration date that many parents aren’t aware of either. You can usually find this date on the label of the seat, often found at the bottom or rear of the seat. Most car seats or booster seats last for up to ten years, but if the seat is passed around a large family or it’s bought second-hand, these expiration dates should always be kept in mind.
Always Buckle Up
It goes without saying that your children should be buckled in before you start your journey. Seat belts are meant to save lives in the event of an accident. So, not only could buckling up potentially save your child’s life but you’ll also be able to use a car accident lawyer if an accident was caused by another party. Sadly, a huge 33% of children who are injured in car accidents have not had their seat belts on during the journey. Perhaps it’s because parents believe children will be safe on a short journey or because children have taken the seat belts off themselves. Whatever the circumstances, it’s important that children are always wearing seat belts.
Check Your Insurance Cover
Your car insurance may cover your car in the event of an accident, but what about you and your children. Road traffic accidents are the leading cause for children being treated in hospital. So, if you do end up in a car accident, who pays for your children’s treatment. Getting the right cover can ensure that you don’t have to worry about paying for medical care should your children need it. Always check your insurance policy each year your insurance is renewed. Insurance companies have a sneaky habit of changing details without making it clear and leaving you in the lurch when you really need them. Go through your policy with a fine tooth comb and be sure of what you’re entitled to in the event of an accident.
Regulate the Temperature
We know all the major rules with children and temperatures. No midday heat, wrap them up in Winter, ice cream in Summer, etc. The same goes for travelling in the car. A car can get a lot hotter than outside when the sun is out in force. Leaving children in a hot car can be highly dangerous. Using a temperature gauge that you can stick on the window is a great way of identifying whether your car is too hot or too cold for your children. Try and regulate the temperature before making a journey with your children.
Child Locks
Children’s wandering hands will find every button and handle in the car. It’s easy for a child to pull a handle while the car is in motion or press a button when parents aren’t looking. This can easily lead to an opened door or opened window. It’s easy to see the dangers in this. Your child could potentially fall out of an opened door or the door could be torn off by a passing car causing an accident. A rolled down window is an invitation for children to stick their arms out of the car. This could lead to a broken arm, or worse, if a passing car were to hit your child’s arm. Using a child lock on both your doors and your windows helps you to control when and how the doors and windows are opened.
Keeping children safe is important to any parent, but it’s easy to forget an element of their safety. Setting your vehicle up to safely carry children in advance will save you from worrying about it during your journey. Follow these tips and you shouldn’t be caught out.