How To Keep Your Children Safe When Driving This Summer

Every day countless caregivers and parents drive their children to/from the daycare or school. But cars need to be made safe for kids, especially when you are driving in a car for hours on end, which you might be doing this summer. There are many benefits to keeping your car safe because even with all the safety features new cars offer, there are still some dangers. It’s important for you to tell your kids about them, so they’re aware.

 

Keep reading for safety measures you should have for your kids when driving this summer.

 

Keep Your Car Cool

It’s important to keep your car cool, especially with the high temperatures we’re experiencing this year. It’s important to keep your car at 70-75 degrees, to avoid heatstroke in kids. Heatstroke is one of the leading causes of car-related children deaths, aside from crashes. This can happen when a vehicle is too hot for a child, if they are left unattended or if the AC isn’t on and the car is closed. Heatstroke happens when a child’s temperature rises quickly. This can be deadly if the temperature reaches 107 degrees since children are more vulnerable to heatstroke than adults.

To prevent this, never leave a child in a car unattended, even for a few minutes. Even if it’s cool out, a vehicle can heat up very quickly, about 20 degrees in 10 minutes. Heatstroke can even happen at any time of the year, in any weather condition, so be careful and keep your car cool.

Make sure you look back into the backseat when leaving the car and keep your vehicle locked and your keys out of reach. Nearly 3 out of 10 heatstroke deaths happen when an unattended child gains access to a vehicle.

The Kia Telluride has a rear occupant alert system that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect passengers in the second and third rows. The system issues three separate alerts to help prevent passengers from being left behind in rear seats. Kia has joined the coalition of automakers committing to installing rear occupant alert systems in their vehicles by 2025, so if you’re looking for a safe vehicle, you may want to opt for the new Kia’s. Read more about them in our New Car Available Inventory

 

 

Keep Your Windows Locked

It is important to keep your windows locked because with all the safety that new power windows provide, they can still hurt children. Kids can be injured when a window closes on their finger, wrist, hand, or even worse.

To prevent this, make sure your children don’t play with window switches or make sure you lock them. It is also important they don’t stand on doors or armrests. Make sure you properly restrain your kids in their car seats to prevent them from accidentally activating power switches or sunroofs. Also, make sure you never leave the key in the ignition or on when you walk away from your car.

 

Backover

Back over incidents can kill or seriously injure children. This occurs when a vehicle coming out of a driveway or parking space backs over an unattended child. To prevent this, teach children not to play in or around cars and always be aware of small children when backing out. You can also teach children to move away from vehicles when a driver gets in it or if a car is started. Make sure you always look behind you when backing up and do it slowly, in case a child runs behind you.

 

Teach Your Children About Seatbelts

Children who are in a car must be wearing seatbelts at all times as should adults. But, make sure children know not to play with seatbelts, as a child may become entangled on a seatbelt if they pull it all the way out and wrap the belt around their head, neck, or waist. Most seat belts have locking mechanisms that are activated when the seat belt is pulled all the way out, designed specifically for car seat installation. If this mechanism activates, children may not be able to free themselves.

To prevent this, teach children not to play with seatbelts and how to properly use them. Make sure you also buckle unused seat belts to prevent playing. Also, never leave your children alone in the car when seat belts are loose.

 

Keep Your Trunk Closed

It is important to keep your trunk closed. Children are curious and a game of hide and seek can be dangerous is they decide to hide in a trunk and get trapped. Temperatures in a vehicle trunk can rise very quickly, leading to heatstroke or asphyxiation.

New vehicles have trunk releases inside the trunk that glow in the dark, but your children might not know how to use it. Show your kids how in case of an emergency. Also, make sure you lock your car doors and trunk and the keys are out of reach of your kids. Check the trunk if you can’t find your kids.

 

Always Have Car Seats for the Young Ones

Boosters and car seats are an easy way to ensure your child’s safety. If installed correctly, they can reduce the change of fatal injuries in case of a crash by around 54 percent for toddlers and 71 percent for infants. Unfortunately, most of the time, these seats are installed incorrectly. An estimate of about 325 lives (children under the age of five) were saved in 2019 alone because they were correctly buckled.

 

Types of Car Seats

Please consult with your physician for advice on the car seat that is most appropriate for your child at various ages.

 

Rear-Facing Seat

Infants under 12 Months

If your infant is below the age of one, they should always be in a rear-facing seat while you are driving.

There are various kinds of rear-facing seats:

• Infant-only car seats that are only rear-facing.
• All-in-one and convertible car seats, which generally have higher weight and height limits, allow your infant to sit in the rear-facing position for longer periods.

 

One to Three Years

Make your children sit on a rear-facing seat as long as you can. It is the most effective measure to ensure their safety. You should make your child sit on a rear-facing seat until they reach the top weight and height limit permitted by the seat’s manufacturer. When your child gets too old for the rear-facing seat, they are ready to ride in a forward-facing position with a  harness.

 

Forward-Facing Seat

Four to Seven Years

Around this age, most children outgrow the rear-facing seat. Your child can ride in a forward-facing seat with a harness until they reach the top weight or height limit permitted by the seat’s manufacturer. Once they outgrow the forward-facing seat, they can ride in a booster chair. However, they should still be in the backseat.

 

Booster Seat

Eight to Twelve Years

Your child is supposed to travel in a booster until they are big enough to wear a seat belt properly. A seat belt is considered to fit properly when the lap belt lies snugly across your child’s upper thighs instead of the stomach. Similarly, the shoulder belt is supposed to lie across their chest and shoulder instead of crossing the face or neck. Keep in mind, no matter what, the back seat is still safer for your child.

 

 

These safety measures can ensure your kids are safe when around vehicles or when in the car. If you are going on a road trip this summer, make sure your children’s car seat is installed properly, that seat belts are locked and that they are not left in or near the car unattended. Then, you are ready to hit the road and go to any of NJ’s most gorgeous drives

 

 

 

Posted in Car Tips | Comments Off on How To Keep Your Children Safe When Driving This Summer