Granted, modern cars are equipped with a ton of safety measures to protect you from injury yet it is surprising to hear of accidents happening occasionally, mostly due to human errors.
The statistics show that last year alone, almost 1.3 million lives were lost due to car crashes largely due to the unawareness of the motorists. Using the safety measures wrongly could get you killed just as the person who does not know how to use them.
Driving with a child especially requires a lot of care since most car crashes involve children below 12 years. If you are a regular car driver, the following tips will keep you and your child safe on the road and ensure you get to your destination alive.
1.Keep your seat straps tightened
What is the essence of using seat straps if they are loose? This may result to a major disaster in case of an accident. Therefore always ensure that your straps and that of your child are snug so as to put everyone out of danger
2. If need be, use a car seat cushion
Who doesn’t love comfort? Especially the one offered by a car seat cushion? See, using a car seat cushion provides back support and helps to relieve back and coccyx pain. In the case of long drives, these cushions really go a long way in helping you to relax and concentrate on your driving. Another advantage of using these cushions is that short people are able to get some ‘height’ and hence get a clearer view of the road
3. Keep your kids facing the rear and don’t start or stop using a booster seat abruptly
Using a booster seat can be a disastrous idea if the children are not old enough. Why? Because the main aim of this seat is to keep the lap belt at the lower hips intact during a crash and keep your child safe. Therefore you should start using this seat only when your child is 4-6 years old
4. Always ensure everyone is buckled up in the car before a drive
Again, what would be the point of having seat belts if you don’t use them? Therefore always ensure that all passengers in your car are buckled up before a drive. In case of a crash they would stand more survival chances than if they never used the belt. Besides, even when applying the emergency brakes, seat belts could prevent one from lurching forward and hurting themselves.
5. Ensure your child’s car seat is checked by a technician after installation
Upon installation of a child car seat, ensure that a well-trained technician looks at it since you wouldn’t know as much as the technician regarding the mechanisms of this seat. This could really give you peace of mind knowing that your child is free of danger in case any danger arises
6. Change your expired car seat as required
Yes, car seats do expire on certain dates depending on the different brands. Generally after 8-10 years, your car seat would have lost its turgidity meaning you will need to get a new one depending on the make and model of your car. So ensure that you do
Basically these are just some few tips that you should always remember so that you may stay safe. Happy driving!
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