It’s common knowledge and common sense that you should secure your young children in your car or booster seat when you are traveling with them. Plus, older kids should always wear seat belts as well. However, irrespective of these precautions they may still sustain serious injuries during an accident. Before hiring a car accident lawyer, here are some extra precautions you should take to prevent that:
Use the Right Type of Seats
Installing the car seat correctly is only the first step in ensuring your child is safe during the ride. You also need to ensure you use the correct one. The first car seat you will use for your child should be rear-facing and should be installed at the back not the front seat. That’s to ensure your baby does not get injured when the airbag deploys during an accident.
When the child gets older that’s when you should get a booster seat which should also be installed in the back and which they will need to use till they are 11 to 12 years old. Plus, make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the body at the shoulder and not the neck and the lap belt is not across the stomach.
Keep the Kids Entertained
To prevent the kids from distracting you as you drive, keep them distracted with some toys, books and coloring books. Keep puzzles and stuffed animals in the car so that they can play with them rather than make you take your eyes off the road.
If your children get car sick, give them some movies to watch on a tablet especially on long drives. Even if they bicker in the back seat, their favorite movie should calm them down enough to ensure you can drive without distractions for a couple of hours.
Don’t Bulk Up the Baby
While it is wise to dress the baby in layers during the winter, doing so for a long car ride can prove dangerous. The clothing will not allow you to belt in the child securely and in case of an accident, the clothing will compress leaving too much room between the baby and the belts.
To prevent this, clothe the child in his/her normal clothes and crank up the car’s heater so they don’t catch a cold. Place a blanket on top of them during the ride as an extra precaution.
Even the best precautions may not be able to prevent your child from getting injured during a car accident. Rather than paying for their medical expenses out of pocket, make the negligent driver pay up by hiring a car accident attorney Boca Raton. Our attorneys at Shiner Law Group are available to speak with you 24/7.
