What You Should Know
Keeping children safe in and around vehicles
involves more than just using appropriate child
safety seats. Parents and caregivers must also
take important steps to protect young children
from the following risks:
- Hyperthermia (Heatstroke).
- Vehicle rollaways.
- Injuries from power windows or seat belts.
- Trunk entrapments.
- Backover accidents.
Many accidents can be prevented with minimal effort. Become
familiar with the Safety Tips in the
last
section. Most importantly, never leave a child alone in or
around a vehicle.
Child Safety Seats
The chart on the next page can help you select a child safety
seat based on your child's weight and age. Once you know the
correct type of child safety seat for your child's stage of
growth, look for one that fits snugly in your vehicle and is
easy to install.
- Ask your vehicle's manufacturer if they recommend
particular brands of child safety seats for the make and
model vehicle you own.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
rates child safety seats by how easy they are to install
correctly.
Visit www.nhtsa.gov. Click
on "Child Passenger Safety" and then on "Child seat ratings."
- Install the child safety seat according to the
seat instructions and your vehicle's
instructions. Keep both sets of instructions in
your glove compartment for future reference.
- A certified child safety seat technician can
make sure your child safety seat is properly
installed, free of charge. Visit www.nhtsa.gov.
to find an inspection station near you. Click on
"Child Passenger Safety" and then on "Seat
inspection stations."
Preventing Distracted Driving When
traveling with infants and young children,
make sure they are properly restrained. Provide
younger children with access to everything they
need for the trip, including snacks and soft
toys. Hard toys and other objects can become
dangerous projectiles during hard braking and
crash situations. If children require assistance
while you are driving, pull over to a safe
place, stop and assist them with their needs.
Drive defensively with both hands on the wheel.
Keep your eyes on the road. Avoid the following
distractions while driving:
- Dealing with children.
- Eating, drinking, smoking or personal
grooming.
- Using a cell phone, pager or any hand-held
electronics.
- Texting.
- Reading maps, directions or any written
materials.
- Adjusting vehicle controls: for example,
radios, CDs, air conditioning.
- Reaching down or behind the driver's seat;
picking up items from the floor.
- Opening the glove compartment.
- Responding to roadside distractions.
If you must do any of these, pull over and stop safely first.
Topics covered in this section:
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