There has been an increase in the number of cases reported of child neglect, especially in vehicles. Leaving your child unattended in your car can be very dangerous.
Did you know according to research conducted in 2016 over 700 children in their preteen years have died due to road-related accidents in the United States? This number is just an estimate and does not account for the number of fatal injuries recorded in the children’s pediatric ward in hospitals.
Parents should give children’s safety in cars priority as kids are curious and overly energetic little human beings. So, what should parents do to ensure the safety of their kids on the road? Here are a few car accident safety tips that one can apply to minimize the injuries and fatalities associated with accidents.
Use of a Child Safety Seat
Parents should invest in good quality car seats for children including Daiichis First 7 car seat. Parents should consider buying age-appropriate car seats. The rear-facing car seat is suitable for children that are below two years of age or those that weigh less than 20 pounds.
The forward-facing car seat is recommended for kids that are aged between 3-5 years or those above 20 pounds in weight. While choosing a car seat, it is also important to assess the compatibility of the car seat to the model of the vehicle that you use. It is recommended for you to try out the seat first in your car to ensure it is a perfect fit.
According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 80% of children’s safety car seats are installed improperly. Some of the common mistakes being the restrainer straps being too loose, or malfunction in the locking clip. Another mistake is the safety seat being too loose that it is not correctly strapped in by the car safety belts.
One must read the manual on how to properly install a child car safety seat or be shown by the vendor on how to install it properly. Malfunctioning child safety car seat should be fixed as soon as one can.
Use of booster seats
Since car seats and seat belts are designed for an adult, booster seats are recommended for children that are below 13 years or less than 65 pounds. Proper installation of the booster seats is vital in preventing car road accidents.
The Kids should seat in the back seat
The children’s car safety seats and the booster seats should be placed in the rear car seats. It is proposed that the youngest child to seat in the middle back seat, as they have the least control in case of an emergency.
A child should not seat in the front seat because, in case of a car crash, the airbag which inflates at 200mph speed may cause fatal injuries to the child due to their size. It is therefore recommended for children to seat in the back seat, and if for any reason they have to seat in the front seat, push the seat as far away as it is possible from the dashboard.
Do not leave children unattended in cars
There has been an increase in the number of cases reported of child neglect, especially in vehicles. Leaving your child unattended in your car can be very dangerous. The child may lock themselves in the car, and they may die from asphyxiation, hypothermia or extremely high temperatures.
Educate your child on car safety rules
It is important to educate your child on car safety rules to avoid road accidents. Teach them how to cross the street and on-road safety signs. Discourage your child from playing on the streets. It is essential to equip your child with safety equipment such as helmets and knee pads, especially when they are riding bicycles or on skateboards.
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