Car Safety for Children

It is easy for people to underestimate the dangers involved in driving with kids on the road. After all, for people across the country and globe, cars and other types of vehicles are a large part of daily life, shuttling us to and from work, home, and everywhere in between. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, also known as the NHTSA, recently reported that “Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old in the United States.” And, while some accidents can’t be avoided, parents like you will want to make sure that you have done everything in your power to keep your kids safe whenever your family takes to the road.

Be a Considerate Driver - While behind the wheel, it can be easy to forget that there are actual people in the cars around you. Regardless of where you’re going or when you need to get there, it is important for any driver to look out for the safety of surrounding traffic by slowing their speed and not unsafely weave through lanes. Being a considerate driver not only increases your child’s safety on the road but it helps decrease the probability of any unnecessary impacts between vehicles.  

Buckle Up - No matter what age you are or how short your drive might be, there is no way of predicting when an accident might occur on the road. Before taking to the road it is extremely important to make sure that kids are properly fastened into the vehicle. For piece of mind, parents might want to even buckle their kids in personally before taking their place behind the wheel.

Have the Proper Equipment - Unfortunately regular car seating and safety parameters are not designed solely for use by children, which is why there are often laws in place that require the use of Car seats or Booster chairs for kids. These laws often list specific weight requirements for each specific type of child safety seat that you should be using. As a quick tip, it is often helpful to research available car seat options to make the best decision for your family. As a basic rule of thumb, the following weight requirements can be used when choosing the proper child safety equipment.

• Rearward-Facing Baby Seats: 0 -22 lbs; roughly from birth to 6-9 months.
• Forward Facing Child Seats: 20-40 lbs; roughly from 9 months - 4 years.
• Booster chairs: 33 - 79 lbs; roughly 4 to 11 years.
• Booster seats: 48 - 79 lbs; roughly from 6 - 11 years.

Get Advice from the Professionals - When it comes to child safety in cars, did you know that it is actually pretty common for new or expectant parents to get their car seats professionally installed at a local fire department? When installing child safety equipment in your car, it is often suggested that parents know all about the systems by which the seat is fastened, making it easier for them to not only be able to uninstall or reinstall the seat but to also assure that their kids are properly fastened into the car with each ride. If you are not able to make an appointment to get your car seat or booster chairs installed, you might also want to turn to approved child safety guides that are available online.