Car Safety and Transporting Infants and Children

Whether you have young children of your own or you take care of children for someone else

Whether you have young children of your own or you take care of children for someone else, transporting them by car requires knowledge and a sense of responsibility.

Do not underestimate the danger air bags pose to young children. In an accident, airbags come shooting from the dashboard with enough violence to stop a grown person from hitting the dashboard. This force can kill a child. Children under 13 must ride in the back. They should wear a seatbelt at all times and should have their own seat. They should never ride in the lap of someone else. If your children are forced to ride in the front seat, make sure they are facing forward with the seat as far back as it will go.

Children should be placed in car seats. Guardians must ensure their proper use and familiarize themselves with fastening procedures. Infants may be placed in rear-facing car seats only in the back seat of the car. Children develop at different speeds, so pay close attention to weight guidelines for car seats. Most children grow out of the need for a car seat around the age of 8.

One of the biggest mistakes a guardian can make is to leave a child alone in a car even if only for a moment. Running an errand while a child sits in a car is an irresponsible thing to do. Most cars built today have childproof door locks in the rear of the car. Make sure to activate them to prevent children from opening a door while the car is in motion.

Some people take out baby life insurance or child life insurance on their children to insure against a child's death. Such insurance can defray the costs of a funeral, or loss of employment due to bereavement. Whether or not you go down this road, it is better to be safe than sorry.