How to protect children from car accidents

While most people do not want to think about experiencing a car accident at some point, it is crucial to prepare if children are in the car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has data proving many children receive protection from crashes each year as a result of being adequately restrained. 

Parents will feel a lot more at ease after a crash if they know their children had their seat belts or safety seats. It is vital to have precautions in place all the time. It is better to be safe than sorry and follow these child safety tips. 

Have the right seat for a child’s age

Kids of different ages require various seats to become best protected in the event of a car accident. Parents need to buckle children two years old or younger into a rear-facing car seat. Once children are bigger than the rear-facing seat, which usually happens after age two, they should go into a forward-facing seat until they are five years old. After five years old, children can go into a booster seat. Parents know children have outgrown a booster seat when a regular seat belt fits over them safely. 

Keep children in the back seat

Children under the age of 12 should never sit in the front seat. It is safer in the back in the event of an accident. This also keeps children protected from air bags, which have the potential to seriously injure small children. 

Set a good example

Kids pay a great deal of attention to their parents’ habits. Therefore, parents should make it clear that wearing a seat belt is important by always wearing one. Even if the trip is short, parents should always buckle up with their kids. The same principle applies to putting children in a rear-facing seat or booster seat on short trips. It is tempting to let the rules slide when just heading down the street, but accidents can happen anywhere and anytime.