While riding in a motor vehicle may be part of everyday life, it is one of the most dangerous activities for a young child. Motor vehicle collisions are one of the top causes of accidental child deaths. The parents driving at the time that a crash occurred may have to live with guilt for the rest of their lives if their kids end up hurt or worse.
Parents tend to want the best for their children, and that includes safety on the road. What do Kentucky parents generally need to know to protect their children while in a motor vehicle?
The right seat makes all the difference
The built-in safety restraints in motor vehicles don’t do much to protect children. Design standards focus on protecting the average-sized adult male, not a child’s body. Parents have to use after-market seats to ensure their children are safe.
The law in Kentucky requires that parents use safety restraints designed for their children’s age and weight. Infants should ride in a rear-facing car seat that holds them in place. Typically, they should remain in that car seat until they are at least a year old and 20 pounds, although it is safer to wait to move them to a bigger seat when they are two years old and 30 pounds or heavier.
Toddlers can ride in forward-facing car seats and convertible car seats. They typically remain in those car seats until they are between four and seven years of age depending on their weight and height. At that point, they can move into a booster seat.
Booster seats help ensure that safety restraints fall at the appropriate point on a child’s body. Typically, children should remain in booster seats until they are almost five feet tall. The right restraints can make a major difference for a child’s safety.
Be aware of distraction risks
Having children in the vehicle may increase a parent’s chance of experiencing a major collision. Children are a significant source of distraction on the road. Parents need to keep their children occupied or to develop the skill to tune the children out when they fight or fuss in the backseat.
With the right safety practices, parents can safely transport their children to school, medical appointments and other events. Of course, no parent can eliminate crash risk entirely. Car crashes that injure children may result in significant family expenses. Having help when addressing the aftermath of a crash may make it easier for parents to recoup their family’s losses.