Posted by Marygrace Taylor on January 15, 2014 · 6 Comments
As a new parent, baby safety is your top priority – and keeping your newborn safe in the car is most likely on your mind. Here’s what you need to know about safety on the road.
Be car-seat safe. You know that an infant car seat will help protect your child in the event of a crash. But make sure the seat has a sturdy harness system, is placed rear-facing, and has padding around the sides to support your baby. Also check that your car seat is installed safely. If you’re unsure, find a certified car seat inspector near you at SeatCheck.org.
Buckle up, always. Speaking of car seats, your baby should always be in one when you’re in a vehicle. It might be more fun to hold her and buckle up together, but an infant (or a child) should never ride in your arms.
Babies in the back. You might be tempted to put your baby’s car seat up front so you can keep a closer eye on him while you’re driving, but don’t. The backseat is the safest and best for babies and children, who could easily get hurt by a deployed air bag if you were to get into an accident.
Watch the windows. To keep your baby’s fingers from ever getting pinched, always look before closing automatic windows. Keep them closed by turning on the child window locks.
Never talk or text while driving. A whopping 78 percent of moms admit to talking on their phones while driving (and 26 percent say they text or check email). You’ve heard it a million times, but here it is again: Never use your phone to talk or text while you drive – it’s just not worth the risk.
Always bring your baby with you. Don’t leave your baby alone in the car while you pop into stores to run errands, or for any reason at all. Children’s bodies heat up faster than adults’, and the temperature inside your car can jump 20°F in just 10 minutes! That puts your baby at serious risk for overheating, and even having heatstroke, or worse.
Great Article!
My good friend from high school has a newborn, I’ll pass this along!
You can feel a lot of pressure in your mind when your child is with you in the car. You may think this or that for safety. I think these 6 tips can provide you the maximum safety for your child in the car.
Thanks Helen! We agree 100%! Thanks for dropping us a note to let us know 🙂 Ps. our apologies for taking a little while to get back to you…some days it’s a definite love/hate relationship with the spam filter
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