How to keep traveling children safe

When traveling with children for long hours it could get boring and restless for them which makes them not care about safety, therefore adults need to keep this as a priority and parents have to make sure safety rules are followed before and during the trip.

Things like seat belt usage, airbags or safety seats tips should constantly be reviewed.

National Safe Kids Campaign has information that helps ensures children’s safety while on the road or air. Motor vehicle crashes are the primary basis of accident death in children ages 14 and under.

The following below are a few safety procedures recommended by the National Safe Kids Campaign:

• The child always has to be restrained whenever you are in the car because in case of an accident, they may be injured or die.

• You must have a safety seat in the car and if you can’t afford one, you can borrow or look for a give away program through hospital, police or social service department although you should watch out for seats that have already been in accidents because they could be damaged and not useful at all.

• Baby and convertible seats can only take children who are up to 20 pounds or 12 months. Convertible one should face forwards for kids between 20 to 40 pounds or between the ages of 1 to 4. Grown up kids weighing between 40 and 60 pounds use booster seats which protect them from internal and spinal cord injuries.

• Safety seat and automobile manuals should be read to make sure it fits well in the car so its usually advisable to talk to tell the shop manager to allow you to fit different types before you pay for it.

• Pillows and cushions shouldn’t be used to boost the child because if you get an accident, the child may slide out of the safety belt.

• Try not putting luggage or objects at the back window of the car to avoid them hitting passengers in case the car is hit.

• An improper installation of an air bag can injure or kill a child thou they have been known for saving live of adults.

• The infant should never be placed in the front passenger seat which has an airbag since these bags have force which may injure the child if deployed.

• If the car has a passenger side airbag, properly restrain the child in the back seat.

• In case the parent feels like putting the child in the front seat, the child should be older, ensure he is properly restrained and put the seat far from the dashboard.

• During traveling by air, the child weighing 40 pounds has to be restrained properly on addition to telling the airline that you will be traveling with a child so that they can try to keep the sit next to you. But it can be good if you can fly days or times which are not busy to improve the chance of you getting the seat next to you. The child seat shouldn’t exceed 16 inches.

For more information about child national passenger safety awareness, call 2023662696.

Photo of young child taking pictures originally posted by muha…

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Tags:  family, kids, transportation

About the author

Stellah was born in Uganda but moved to Norway in 2005 working as a freelance writer while traveling to Sweden, France, Belgium and most of the European countries to learn new culture and languages.