How do I child proof my car?

The first rule of child proofing a car is to look for the same hazards you would at home.

Make certain chemicals are out of baby's reach, and no choking hazards are present.

Never leave a child unattended in a car for even a moment, even if it's in your own driveway or garage. Never leave your keys in the car, or anywhere that little hands can reach. Make sure that fold-down seats are upright and locked into place so that children don't crawl back into the trunk and become trapped. Don't rely on child proof locks to keep a child inside a car.

Before backing out of your garage or driveway, check the area first for children and any toys that they might try to retrieve at the last minute when you pull out. Roll down your window so that you can hear shouts from children or anyone who sees danger. Of course, there are high tech options out there from video cameras to see behind you, to alarms.

Other special safety concerns include children becoming stuck in the trunk. Teach your children the dangers of becoming trapped inside a vehicle or the trunk. Children might be tempted to hide inside and need to know how unsafe it is, especially how their bodies cannot manage the temperature extremes. Make certain your car has a trunk safety release. Most newer cars will, but check with your dealer to make sure. If your car doesn't have the release, it can be retro-fitted with one.

Setting and following rules for car safety are essential. The car doesn't go anywhere unless everyone is properly buckled, not just the children. Beside setting a good example, everyone else buckling up keeps the smaller occupants safe in an accident. Unrestrained passengers could become airborne in a crash and injure children who should be safe in their carseats. Never let children play with the keys, locks, or any controls. The message should be consistent: the car is not a toy. Do not try to resolve conflicts, feed a child, or retrieve toys while driving. If a child needs attention, pull over to a safe area and attend to the child. Do not put children up front with you so you can keep an eye on them. Give them plenty of things to keep them occupied, toys, books, sippy cup and such. If you have a portable DVD player or music to distract them, use them. But if all your distractions fail, do not attempt to multitask while driving. If your infant is still in a rear-facing car seat, consider purchasing a rear view mirror type device to keep an eye on little ones without constantly turning around.

Of course the biggest area of safety concern is the carseat itself. "A large number of parents use their carseat incorrectly. Many states have service agencies or police departments who will help parents learn how to install the car seat correctly," says Mark Altman, owner and founder of The Childproofer, a baby proofing expert.

The most common mistakes include using the wrong seat for a child's age or weight, not buckling the child into the seat correctly, or not tethering the seat into the car properly. Allows check the guidelines on the seats to make certain the seat is appropriate for your child. Know the laws in your state for child restraints. Know that the safest place is in the middle of the back seat. Do not allow children to sit up front with you. Use caution with airbags, and know where all side air bags are located and how children should be seated to avoid injury from them. Never allow more than an inch of wiggle room front to back or side to side from the seat itself. Even if your state doesn't require them, be aware that children ages 6-8 and weighing between 40-80 pounds are safest in a booster car seat buckled with a lap-shoulder belt.