Keeping Kids Safe In And Around Cars
Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, child safety seats reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71% for infants, and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 to 4 years. Make sure your child is using the appropriate age/weight/size child safety seat to prevent these fatal injuries. Always follow the car seat manufacturers guidelines!
Infants (birth to 12 months) should be rear facing in the back seat for as long as possible, it is recommended that they remain rear facing until the age of two.
Toddlers (1-4 years) should be forward facing in the back seat through the age of four if possbile. This will depend on the child's height and weight, as well as the manufacturer's guidelines.
Chidren (5-8 years) most chidren will remain in a booster seat until the age of eight. Make sure the lap belt is resting across the child's upper thigh and never on the stomach. The shoulder belt should never rest across the neck, be placed under the arms, or put behind the back.
Older Children (8-12) should transition into a regular seat belt. Always check to make sure the lap belt and shoulder belt are resting appropriately. Children must ride in the back seat until the age of 13.
Never Leave Your Child In A Car
Children die every year from heat stroke after being left in a vehicle. Temperatures inside a car can reach deadly levels within minutes, causing severe brain damage and death. Infants and children are at the greatest risk of overheating since their bodies absorb more heat than an adult, allowing their body temperature to increase three to five times faster. In addition, leaving your child alone in a car puts them at risk to be kidnapped. Don’t let this happen to your child. Always look in the front and back seat of your vehicle before locking it. Never let children play in the car and keep keys out of children’s reach. If you see a child left alone in a hot vehicle, please call 911 immediately.
Take A 360
Before starting your vehicle and driving away, always take one complete walk around it to ensure that there are no small children playing near or under your vehicle.
Air Bags Aren't Good For Kids
Air bags save lives, however, children can be seriously injured or even die when an air bag deploys during a crash. The safest place for your child is in the back seat, even if your vehicle doesn’t have air bags.
Watch the video below to see how we can keep our children safe in the car. Click on the picture.