Car crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under, according to ArriveAlive. Child safety seats and safety belts, when installed and used correctly, can prevent injuries and save lives. Unrestrained children are more likely to be injured, suffer severe injuries and die in car crashes than children who are restrained.
Child safety seats and safety belts, when selected, installed and used correctly, can help to prevent injuries and save lives. According to ArriveAlive, families should follow the following safety tips on every ride:
- Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip.
- Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a back seat. A back seat is generally the safest place for a child to ride. While airbags can save lives, kids riding in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed if an airbag is deployed on impact. Even with advanced airbags or no airbags, the back seat is safer for children.
- Never put a rear-facing child in a front seat with an active frontal airbag.
- Choose the right child safety seat or safety belt for your child’s size and age. Make sure you have the right seat for your child.
- o Infants should ride in rear-facing safety seats as long as possible, until they are at least 12 months old and weigh at least nine kilograms.
- o Children who are at least a year old, weigh nine to 18 kilograms and can no longer ride in rear-facing seats should ride in forward-facing child safety seats.
- o Children over 18 kilograms should be correctly secured in belt-positioning boosters or other appropriate child restraints until the adult lap and shoulder belts fit correctly, usually around age 8.
- o Once the vehicle safety belts fit children, both lap and shoulder belts should be used correctly.
- Install and use your child safety seat or seat belt according to the manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle owner's manual.
- Ensure your child safety seat has not been recalled.
Don’t leave kids in the car
Follow safe-driving rules
When driving, avoid the following:
- Texting
- Reading
- Fiddling with a GPS
- Applying makeup
- Turning around to speak to the kids or deal with a fight
- Drive with anything on your lap
- Drive with headphones
- Eating
All these shift your focus away from driving, and in some cases, they take your eyes off the road.
Check your car’s safety and maintenanceDon’t forget that the best way to keep your family safe on the road is to make sure your car is in good working conditions, with regular services and vehicle maintenance.
Use your senses to understand your car’s maintenance signals
The 2019 Mitsubishi Triton receives a facelift
