Car safety is incredibly important, especially when you are transporting young children. Motor vehicle accidents can result in serious injuries and fatalities, so you will want to do your best to keep your precious young ones safe. Unfortunately, many parents are unaware of proper seatbelt or car seat safety and are unknowingly putting their children’s wellbeing in danger. The good news is that this is an easy fix.
Car Seat Safety Tips All Parents Need To Know
Below we have compiled information regarding seatbelt safety and car seats that will make any commute with your children much safer:
- Adjust the car seat for a better fit: If a car seat is too loose and you are involved in a collision, your child might lunge forward and crash into the front seat, resulting in a serious injury to his or her face or head. Since not all car seats are the same, make sure you read your car seat’s instruction manual and your vehicle’s manual regarding car seat installation. To know for sure if your child’s car seat is too loose, you can test it by grabbing the seat at its base and pull at it. If you can move the seat more than an inch, it is unsafe for your child and should be readjusted.
- Tighten the harness on your child’s car seat: In addition to car seats often being too loose, it is also not uncommon for a harness to be loose. To test this out, place your child in the car seat and, if you can grab the harness straps between your fingers, it means the straps must be tightened. If your child’s harness straps are too loose, he or she can easily be thrown out of the seat in the event of a crash.
- The car seat is set at the wrong angle: When using a rear-facing car seat, it is imperative that you set it at the right angle to prevent your child’s head from falling forward, which could cut off his or her airway. It is not uncommon for a child’s car seat to have an adjustable pedestal to help ensure parents are able to safely install them despite the sloped design most rear seats have. If yours does not have one, you can use rolled-up towels as an easy cheat.
- Your child is not ready to face forward: Children should be placed in rear-facing car seats until they reach the maximum height or weight capacity of that seat, so make sure you understand the rules of the seat you purchased and follow its height and weight limit instructions. If you allow your child to face forward too soon, there is an increased likelihood of paralysis or death in the event of an accident.
- Use a booster seat: When the time comes for your child to use a forward-facing car seat, take the next step and use a belt-positioning booster seat. This should be used until both the lap and shoulder belt fit your child properly. Without a booster seat, your child’s seatbelt will cross his or her body on the incorrect spots, possibly even along the neck, which could easily lead to severe injuries if you are involved in an accident.
Experienced Car Accident Attorneys in Hartford
If your child sustained injuries in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligent or reckless actions, you will need a skilled legal advocate on your side to ensure your family is able to obtain the fair and just compensation you deserve. At Goff Law Group in Hartford, our skilled team of car accident attorneys is committed to fighting on behalf of those who have been wrongfully injured and will do what is necessary to ensure the responsible party is held liable.
Get started on your motor vehicle accident case today and contact our team at 203-399-0000 to request a free phone consultation.