Car Seat Safety
Often times when we are driving, we are carrying precious cargo. Children have a higher risk of being injured in automobile accidents than adults, so it is our duty to protect them in all possible ways.
One of the most effective ways to protect your child in an automobile is knowing and practicing proper car safety instructions. A baby’s head and spine are the most sensitive and developing parts of their bodies. To protect the head and spine, it is important that their car seat is facing the rear of the car. If your child’s car seat is facing forward, the spinal cord may stretch in the event of an accident. Any impact, no matter how big or small, may cause severe damage to the spine, or result in death. With the car seat facing the rear of the car, the car seat provides a protective pillow to the head, neck, and spine. Facing a child’s car seat to the rear of the car is one of the safest and effective ways to protect your child in a frontal car crash, the most common type of crash.
Other ways to ensure your child is safe in an automobile, include, but are not limited to:
Facing the Rear of the Car
If your child is under 2 years old, their car seat should face the rear of the car until they reach the height and weight restrictions set by your car seat’s manufacturers.
Well Adjusted Should Straps
The car seat’s shoulder straps should be at or below your child’s shoulders. All harness slots should be adjusted accordingly, and snug enough that the harness material cannot be bundled or pinched. Make sure that the straps lie flat and are not twisted, and the chest clip is at armpit level.
Stay in the Back of the Car
A child should always be in the back of a car. Seating them in the front of the car in the passenger seat is a great risk. If ever in an accident, your child may be fatally injured from the air bag.
Not too Warm, Not too Cold
Overdressing your child may be a great risk. Do not dress or cover your baby with a thick blanket or a puffy coat. Doing so interferes with the tightness of the child seat straps. Although it may require more work, cover your child with a blanket over their buckled car seat and dress them appropriately before going outside of the car.
Changing Car Seats
There should always be at least an inch between the top of your child’s head and the top of their car seat. When there is no longer an inch between the two, it is important to upgrade their car seat from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat. Follow manufacturer guidelines to know when it is time to upgrade to a booster seat.
Louisiana Automobile Accident Attorney, Michael Hingle, knows that the most important job of a parent is to protect their child. That’s why he makes it his top priority and job to protect your child’s and your rights. If you have been involved in an automobile accident with your child, and your child is injured, seek legal consultation immediately. Don’t let the negligence of another set the course for the rest of your child’s life. Protect your child and their future with the help of Michael Hingle and Associates. For a free consultation call 1-800-USA-JURY.
