There are guidelines to making driving in an automobile as safe as possible. Learn about seat belt safety, how to get the maximum effect from this safety device.
There are guidelines to making driving in an automobile as safe as possible. Air bags, seat belts and car seats save lives. We all need to understand how to use our seat belts and car seats properly to magnify their lifesaving qualities.
Children and infants should always ride in the back seat of any car. The front passenger seat is always the unsafest place to be in an accident and most vehicles now have airbags in this position which can injure short stature people. Over age 12 is usually safe in front seat depending on the child's height and weight, check the owners manual of the vehicle for their recommendations.
Child car seats are the best way to save a young child's life in a car accident. Make sure the safety seat is the appropriate one for the age and size of your child. Infants under 21 pounds need to be in a rear facing infant seat placed in the back seat of the car. Make sure that it is properly and tightly buckled down. The straps on the child need to be snug and always make sure all buckles are properly snapped. Many parents remove the piece that goes across the chest because it is a hassle to put the strap over the child's head, but this piece is a necessity, without it the child will fly right out of the car seat. At 21 pounds a child can be moved into a full size, forward facing car seat, still placed in the back seat. After about 40 pounds a child can be moved into a booster car seat. The age limits for how long a child needs to stay in a car seat are different from state to state, but most states are raising the age limit. In some states it is age 4 and 40 pounds to get out of car seats.
Other state it is age 5 with no weight limit. Check with your local law enforcement agency for the laws concerning car seats.
Seat belts save lives. If the driver of a vehicle is buckled up, studies show that children will also be buckled. When a driver is unbuckled the children won't be buckled either. Proper usage of the seat belts is a necessity.
Shoulder straps should be across the collarbone and the lap belt needs to be low on the hips. Never allow a child to slip the shoulder belt behind the back of the seat, their own back or under their arm because this is very dangerous in a car accident.
