You’ve checked the maps, read the tourist brochures and made the
reservations. The bags are packed and the gas tank is topped off. All
set for summer vacation!
And while travel time is great family time and usually a lot of fun, it
also poses a safety threat if the proper safety precautions are not
taken.
Remember that automobile accidents are responsible for more child
fatalities and injuries than all major childhood illnesses combined.
State laws require that young children (under 4) be secured in safety
seats.
Don’t fool yourself into believing that your child is safe in your
arms, even if you’re not the one driving. The force of a collision
could yank the child from your arms in an instant!
Likewise, don’t think there’s no reason to go through the car seat
ritual because you won’t be driving far or fast. Most accidents occur
within 25 miles of home and a crash at 30 mph will throw an unstrapped
child against the dash or front seat with the same force as a fall from
a third-story window.
Without the car seat, children are at risk from near-misses, too, when
you swerve or brake suddenly.
"Many people believe they and their children are safe when they’re
inside their automobiles," says Dr. Denise Dowd, chief of injury
prevention at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. "Unfortunately,
that’s not true. Children, especially, are susceptible to injuries from
riding in cars, usually because they aren’t safely secured in their
seats."
Children’s Mercy offers the following tips to make car travel safe:
- Inspect the child safety seat before each ride to make sure it is
properly fastened. Infant passengers should ride in rear-facing car
seats until they weigh at least 19 to 20 pounds and can sit up on their
own. Once they weigh 20 pounds, you can face the seat forward. At 30
pounds, you can put them in a booster designed for auto use.
- The middle of the back seat is the safest place for a child to
ride. If your car is equipped with an airbag, on either side, don’t
place the safety seat up front.
- Suitcases and other large, heavy objects should be secured so they
won’t fly around the car.
- The car seat shoulder harness should be adjusted to fit your child
snugly. For very young babies, a rolled blanket or towel will provide
critical support for the infant’s neck and head.
- Older babies can be entertained with soft toys specifically
designed to attach to car seats. That will prevent the toys from
falling out of the child’s reach, thus distracting the driver.
- A child can become quickly dehydrated if positioned in the glaring
sun. Easily-installed sun shades are available at auto supply stores
and are well worth the modest investment.
- Most late model cars are equipped with child safety locks for rear
doors and windows. Be sure to use them. If your car doesn’t have such
devices, consider taping down or removing manual lock-pulls on the rear
doors to discourage young children from playing with them. You might
also want to disconnect electric rear windows to ensure your child’s
safety.
- If your child needs attention, pull over. Don’t let handling your
child’s needs distract you from safe driving.
- Take the time to teach your child good car manners. Rough housing,
yelling and throwing things while the car is moving are dangerous
distractions for the driver and should not be tolerated. Proper car
behavior can be taught from the earliest age, increasing the likelihood
a child will have many safe and enjoyable years in the car.
