A Guide To Baby Car Safety
Heading off in the car with your little bundle of joy should be a fun occasion and not a time for worry. Unfortunately, no matter how careful you are on the road and no matter how much confidence you have in your own driving abilities when things go wrong, they can go wrong quickly. You should always take the time to put on your own seat belt but your little one will need your help to ensure that they stay safe while in transit.
Keeping your precious cargo protected in case anything should go wrong when you are driving is quite straightforward, you just need to ensure that you take the right precautions before setting off. Form car seats to signage to let other drivers know that there’s a baby on board and learning how to drive with your baby in the car, can all help in keeping your baby safe. For most parents, a combination of different products and techniques will work best at keeping your baby safe in the car.
Continue reading to learn more about how you can keep your precious cargo safe when you’re travelling by car.
Contents
Choose The Right Seat
Safely carrying your baby in the car begins with making the right choice with the car seat you buy for your baby. There is a huge range of seats to choose from with the main two categories being convertible car seats and infant seats. Infant seats typically will accommodate children weighing approximately fifteen to eighteen kgs. And, while not strictly convertible as such, some of these seats can grow and adapt along with your child, saving money in the long run as you won’t have to keep buying seats as your child grows. Naturally, we have had a fair few seats over the years; we didnt buy them here, but it looks like this and does a great job of keeping little bodies as safe as possible in the car.
Convertible seats, on the other hand, are more flexible. These types of seats can be changed from forward facing to rear facing and can also be turned into a booster seat as your child grows, holding children up to approximately fifty-five kilograms. Some models of convertible seats also come with infant inserts allowing the seat to be used as your baby develops. Convertible car seats are generally heavier than infant seats and are locked in place rather than strapped in meaning they can’t be easily removed and instead stay fixed in your car.
Install The Seat Correctly
A baby car seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. For any child under the age of four years old, the seat generally should be rear facing, i.e with your baby facing the back of the car. It’s always best to have your baby seat installation carried out by a professional or at least have them check over it to ensure you have done everything correctly. The last thing you want is for the seat to be loose if you have to jam on the breaks suddenly.
Make Others Aware
Whether you want a cute Peppa Pig themed sign or you want to go for something a little more traditional, a ‘Baby On Board’ sign is essential when you’re carrying a baby in your car. Despite what many people might think, you don’t display the sign so that emergency responders will know there’s a baby inside the car in case of an accident. The real reason for hanging one of these signs in your window is to alert other drivers to the fact that you have a young passenger on board.
Other road users should be more patient with you on the road and be a little more cautious when approaching your vehicle. Make sure you don’t obstruct your own view when hanging your sign while it is clearly visible to other drivers.
Drive Carefully And Keep Your Baby Safe
When you’re driving with your baby in the car, you need to take even more care driving than usual. Having young children in the car can be very distracting but it’s important that you keep your eyes on the road at all times. If possible, bring another responsible passenger who can sit in the back with your baby and tend to their needs.
Of course, it’s understandable that this might not always be possible and if your baby needs attention while you’re in transit be sure to find a safe place to pull over and tend to them. Whatever you do, avoid taking any unnecessary risks with your precious cargo on board and take whatever precautions you can to ensure that you and your baby are always safe in the car.
