When you’re a mother, it goes without saying that you’ll do anything you can to protect your kids and keep them out of harm’s way. Last year, instances of vehicle collisions rose by 6 percent, and more than 40,000 people were killed on the road. That’s a shocking statistic, but it shows you just how important it is to ensure your kids are safe and secure in and around cars.
If you want to keep your kids safe, but you don’t know where to start, take a look at these simple tips:
Car Seats and Boosters
Most important of all, if you have young kids, you will need to purchase a good quality car seat or booster, which is designed for children of their age and height. Unfortunately, buying a good car seat is not enough on its own – you also need to ensure that it is properly fitted. So many babies and young children are injured each year because their car seat was incorrectly installed – you don’t want this to happen to your babies! The best thing to do if you aren’t confident in your own ability to install a car seat is to have a professional at the store do it for you.
If your children are older, they obviously won’t need a car seat or booster, but they will need to wear their seatbelts, and it is up to you to ensure they do! A seatbelt won’t protect them from every danger on the road, but it’ll minimize the risk of many, including serious head injuries, so make sure the whole family belts up before you put your foot on the pedal!
Home Car Safety
Driving on the road might be more dangerous for all involved, but that doesn’t mean that your car is safe when you’re at home. Any nationally-recognized car accident lawyers will be able to tell you that numerous kids, and adults too for that matter, are injured in their own, or someone else’s driveway every year. Small people, in particular, run the risk of having a car back up into them while they’re playing in the driveway, which is why parents need to be extremely vigilant.
If your kids are very inquisitive, you might also want to make sure you never leave the keys in your car or even leave the vehicle unlocked, or you could one day be watching in horror as your kid takes his first impromptu driving lesson! Basically, kids and cars don’t mix, and they shouldn’t be left in close proximity without supervision!
Safety Features
Another way that you can help to protect your kids from the dangers of cars is by purchasing vehicles that have a good safety record. You can easily find crash test scores and accident statistics to help you choose a suitable vehicle, and you should always do this. However, you should also be on the lookout for extras like front and rear view cameras, and an auto reverse feature for doors and windows. Simple things like that will help you take care of your children when they’re in the car and give you the peace of mind in knowing that you’ve done everything you can to protect your kids.
