If there’s one thing every parent cares about, it’s keeping their children safe. One of the most important places we can do this is in the car, where a lot is often out of our control. To help keep your kids safe in the car, follow the tips below.
Have the Right Equipment
For starters, if you have particularly young children, you can’t just sit them anywhere in the car. Small children aren’t big enough to use adult seatbelts yet, so you need to get them their own seating. Depending on how old or large your child is, you’ll either need a car seat or a booster seat. There are also some restrictions on whether your child can face forward or backwards while you drive. These regulations are put into place to help keep your children safe, so it’s important that you follow them. For more information on child seating regulations in the car, you can check out this guide.
Perform Regular Car Maintenance
The next thing you should think about is the condition of your car. If there are issues with your car, it makes it unsafe for both you and your children. It’s important that you conduct regular maintenance on your car, so that you can spot problems early or prevent them from happening altogether.
Some things you’ll want to check arethe engine oil level, enough wiper fluid, brake pads, and tire tread. You should also regularly be on the lookout for any odd symptoms coming from your car, such as funny odds or strange noises. By performing regular car safety checks, you can detect problems early. Then, when you do, you should have a trusted mechanic look at it so that everyone can remain as safe as possible.
Remove Distractions While Driving
As a parent, you have a lot going on. Maybe you’re stressed about all the work waiting for you on Monday, or you’re trying to think of what to do for dinner, or your kids are simply arguing in the backseat while you try to drive. Whatever it is, it’s not uncommon for parents to become distracted while driving.
However, it’s important that you keep your focus on the road. Distractions are one of the leading causes of accidents and result in thousands of injuries each year. When you’re driving, put all of your other worries out of the way as best you can. Turn on some music to distract your kids, and to keep yourself in a better mood. Do whatever you need to do to keep your focus on the road, as this will go a long way towards keeping everyone safe.
Obey the Rules of the Road
This final tip is quite obvious, but it bears repeating – always obey the rules of the road. The laws in your state are there for a reason. They are designed to not only keep you and your passengers safe, but to keep everyone else on the road safe. We’re all guilty of going a little over the speed limit, but when you have kids in the car, you should fight this temptation. And if your state doesn’t allow you to talk on the phone while you’re driving, get yourself a hands-free headset to use. You may find yourself getting to your destination a few minutes late, but this is well worth the price of your kids’ safety.
What to do if You’re in an Accident
Unfortunately, even if you follow all the tips above, you may still find yourself getting into a car accident. If you do, it’s good to know what to do. First, make sure that everyone is safe. Check on yourself and on your kids and see if anyone needs medical attention. If you’re lucky, you’ll escape with just a scare.
If there are injuries though, you’ll want to get medical attention right away. Even if it’s just a minor bruise or scrape, having a medical professional examine it is the best way to go. Don’t feel bad about calling an ambulance for a minor injury if you think it’s warranted – what may seem like a small thing could in fact be a major issue, so it’s best to play it safe.
After that, you may need to think about getting legal help. According to the Glover Law Firm, “When you have suffered severe injuries in an accident, your first concern has to be your health and your recovery. That is why it is far better to leave the legal side of your recovery to an experienced personal injury lawyer.”
Hopefully it will never come to this, but it’s best to be prepared. By following the tips above you should be able to limit the amount of car accidents you get into, and keep your children safe while in the car.