Travelling with a Baby: Safety Essentials for the Car

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Keep your baby safe while traveling in the car.

As a parent, you know how frustrating it can be when you question if you installed the car seat correctly. Unfortunately, most parents are making deadly mistakes without even knowing it.

Let’s face…

Vehicle accidents are a leading cause of injury to small children. However, when parents take the proper safety precautions, they can ensure their child’s safety while traveling with peace of mind.

What you’re about to discover…

• Why Car Seat Safety Starts Before They’re Born
• 5 Common Car Seat Installation Mistakes Parents Make
• Safety Essentials for Every Car Ride
• Step-by-Step Instructions to Install a Car Seat Correctly

Why Car Seat Safety Starts Before They’re Born

You might think that you can throw your baby in any car seat and go.

However, did you know that using a car seat can lower the risk of fatal injury to infants by 71%?

Parents often believe that their car seat is installed correctly. But the truth is, if it’s not tight enough to pass the one-hand rule, it won’t provide any protection during a crash.

When other drivers cause crashes through careless actions or distractions, personal injury law services from Illinois accident lawyers can help families pursue compensation after the accident.

Please keep these statistics in mind:

• Between 2019 and 2023 over 3.9 million children were involved in motor vehicle crashes.
• More than 516,000 children were injured.
• Over 2,800 children died.

Those are not just numbers. Each represents someone’s baby.

That is why it is so important to know how to properly install your child’s car seat.

5 Common Car Seat Installation Mistakes Parents Make

But here’s the scary part…

According to a recent AAA study, 67% of all car seats are installed or used incorrectly. That means most parents are putting their babies at risk every time they get in the car.

Some of the most common mistakes include…

• Harness straps are too loose allowing excess movement
• The seat is not at the proper recline angle when rear-facing
• Not using the top tether when the seat is forward facing
• Routing the seat belt through wrong path when installing
• Moving your child to the next seat too soon

What many parents fail to realize is that if the car seat moves more than one inch side to side or front to back, it is installed incorrectly.

You may also think that your baby is safe as long as the harness straps are snug.

However, the slack in the straps can cause your child to move forward in a crash. That sudden movement could seriously injure your child.

Parents, you need to read the instructions.

I know you are busy and we all want to get our babies home as quickly as possible. But you should read the car seat manual and your vehicle manual.

They have information that you need to know to keep your baby safe.

Safety Essentials for Every Car Ride

Ok, now that we have been through the scary stuff. Let’s focus on what parents need.

Keeping your baby safe while traveling in the car doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Here is what you need…

The Correct Car Seat

You will need a car seat that is suitable for your baby’s age, weight, and height.

Parents should keep their children rear-facing until at least age 2. Most can remain rear-facing until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by their car safety seat.

Once they outgrow the rear-facing weight or height limit, you’ll want to move them to a forward-facing seat. Just remember to use the top tether!

Correct Harness and Chest Clip Placement

Harness straps should be flat without any twists. Rear-facing harness straps should be at or below your baby’s shoulders. Forward-facing harness straps should be at or above their shoulders.

Parents should always place the chest clip at armpit level.

Sturdy Car Seat Base

If you use an infant car seat carrier, be sure the base doesn’t move around. When you grab the belt path and shake, it should not move.

No parent wants to think about their child getting injured in a car accident. But it’s always a good idea to think about worst-case scenarios.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Install a Car Seat Correctly

Here is where most parents fail.

Installing your baby’s car seat may seem like a straightforward process. But as you have learned, the small details can be the difference between life and death. Follow along with these instructions for proper installation.

Step 1: Decide How You will Install Your Car Seat

You can either use the LATCH system or your vehicle’s seat belt. The LATCH system uses lower anchors inside your car.

You can find them by placing your baby’s car seat in the vehicle.

The seat belt method is self-explanatory; you will be using your automobile’s lap and shoulder seat belt to secure the car seat.

Pro Tip: Parents should never use both methods to install their car seat. You think you are being safe by using two forms of installation. However, it weakens the overall strength and can decrease your child’s safety.

Step 2: Verify Your Recline Angle

Rear-facing seats should always be at the proper angle of recline.

If your baby’s seat of ears relaxes forward, their airway could become blocked. If it is too far back, your baby will not be as protected in a crash.

Luckily, most car seats have a built-in level that you can use.

Step 3: Tighten It Up!

Your car seat should never move more than one inch front to back or side to side.

Grab it by the belt path and give it a good shake. If it moves more than one inch, tighten your installation method and try again.

Step 4: Buckle Up and Remove Extra Harness Strap Room

Place your baby in the car seat and buckle them in. Tighten the straps until you can no longer perform the pinch test at the shoulder.

The pinch test – You should not be able to pinch any excess fabric at the baby’s shoulder after tightening the straps.

Step 5: Get your Installation Verified

Even if you followed all the directions and know you installed your car seat correctly.

It doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion. Find a certified child passenger safety technician near you. Most fire stations offer these inspections for free.

Knowing you did everything you could to protect your child should bring you peace of mind.

Conclusion

Child car safety should never be overlooked.

Every parent wants to believe that nothing will happen to their child. But statistics show that vehicle accidents are some of the leading causes of infant injury and death.

Carry the essentials we talked about with you on every road trip, and always install the car seat correctly. A few extra minutes could mean life or death for your baby.