Car crashes are responsible for 20% of child and adolescent deaths in the US, making them one of the leading causes of childhood fatalities, Medpage Today reports. Although children spend plenty of time in the car, parents don’t always know what they should be doing to keep them safe. Following effective safety tips and guidelines can protect your whole family on the road.
Use child safety seats correctly
Child safety seats decrease risk of death by 70% for infants and 55% for toddlers. However, they must be installed and used correctly to be effective in a car crash. A CDC study found that as many as 72% of child safety seats aren’t used properly. Your car safety seat should fit both your child and your car, and be installed correctly every time it’s used. In most cases, car seats aren’t fastened tightly enough to the car. It shouldn’t be able to move over an inch from side to side and front to back. The harness should also feel stiff. Adult seat belts can harm small children in crashes, so only let yours use them once they’re big enough.
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Car safety rules
Wearing your seatbelt is one of the best ways you can protect your children. When a driver wears their seat belt, children mimic this behavior 94% of the time. When a driver doesn’t buckle up, children only wear theirs 40% of the time. Never let children under 12 ride in the front seat. Passenger-side air bags can injure small children. If your child has to sit in the front, slide the seat back as far as possible first. Children also need to understand the importance of staying calm in the car. Shouting and jumping around can often distract the driver and endanger all passengers. It’s also important to teach your children to always follow car safety rules — no matter whose car they’re in.
Be prepared
No matter how much you prioritize car safety, sometimes road accidents happen through no fault of your own, and the costs associated with this can vary from place to place. Out of all the states in the US, Florida was recently ranked the most expensive place to get into a car accident — minimum liability coverage is low, and nearly 25% of drivers are uninsured. Being prepared for this situation will help your family get the help you need as quickly as possible, a Tampa injury lawyer advises. So make sure your car insurance is up to date, and invest in uninsured driver coverage to protect yourself in case you become involved in an accident with an uninsured driver. Even so, insurance companies typically try to limit settlement amounts. As such, contacting a lawyer for legal representation is a better way to win the compensation you deserve. You may be entitled to financial compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Keeping children safe in the car is a priority for all parents. Although car rides always pose an element of danger, implementing these tips and guidelines can keep your family as safe as possible.
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