It is evident that child safety was thoroughly taken into consideration during the manufacture of the current generation of family cars. The vast majority of family hatchbacks and modern vehicles are equipped with safety features, like automatic child locks and easily adjustable seat belts in order to ensure minimal damage in the event of an accident. Alex Gibbons of LRC 4×4 believes that protecting your child may be the single most important factor to consider before setting out on a car journey, whatever the length.
In addition to this, parents have to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of children in the car. There are various methods of keeping your children as safe as possible throughout any journey, many of which revolve around their seats.
It is crucial that you invest in a car booster seat that is deemed to be suitable for the age of your child. It is against the law for children who have not yet either reached the age of 12 or the height of 135cm to travel without one of these special seats.
As a parent, you must also always take care to properly secure your child in their seat, ensuring that their belt is tightly fitted around them. Many children become restless during car journeys and may fiddle so it is a good idea to constantly check that their belt is still fitted when it is safe to take your eyes off the road. A lot of cars have safety technology installed that alerts you when a seat belt is undone, so make sure this setting is enabled.
Supposing that you might have invested in a rear facing car or booster seat, you should ensure that it is placed on a seat in the back of your car to make sure that your child is completely safe and is not at risk of becoming injured, especially with new-born children. Whereas forward facing seats require your child to be seated and facing towards the front of the car, but restrained securely by the harness that is provided with car seat.
Although accidents are highly unlikely, they are not impossible, and it is always best to be extra careful when you drive with children. Try to keep an eye on your kids as well as the road and the risk of anything going wrong will be greatly reduced. In case of any legal concerns or questions regarding child safety during car journeys, it’s always advisable to consult a knowledgeable car accident lawyer.