Child car safety sounds simple if you follow a few basic rules. It starts with carefully choosing the correct child restraint and keeping your child safe when travelling in the car and safe around cars.
Simple right? Then it may surprise you to know that 1 child is run over in their own driveway every week in Australia. And that, 33% of children killed in crashes under the age of 6 was done so off-road i.e. in a yard, carpark or driveway.
Here are some helpful tips that will help keep your child safe in and around cars:
Child Restraint
- Carefully choose the correct car seat for your child that is age and size appropriate.
- Ensure your car seat is properly fitted, in some cases by a Registered Child Restraint Fitter.
- It is advised that children 12 and under sit in a rear seat (if there is one). It is actually illegal for children under to 4 to sit in the front seat of a car with 2 more rows and children under 7 are only able to sit in the front seat if all seats in the rear seats are occupied by younger children.
- Never drive unless all seatbelts are properly fastened in the car and if someone gets out of their restraint, stop immediately and refasten.
Child Safety in the Car
- Put the child lock on the car door to avoid any accidental openings when driving and make sure that all arms, legs and heads remain in the vehicle.
- Any loose items in the car should be secured as these can fly around and hurt someone in an accident.
- If possible, keep your child happy in the car so as not to cause distraction for you when driving. Chat to them, sing nursing rhymes or allow them to eat snacks.
- Never ever leave your child unattended in the car, particularly during hot weather, as the temperature in the car can rise to dangerous levels very quickly causing heatstroke, dehydration and in severe cases death. Winding down the windows 5cm or so has no effect on the temperature inside the car!
Did you know that on a hot day the temperature inside a car can be as much as 40°C hotter than outside?
Safety out of the Car
- Always supervise your child near roads, in carparks and on your own driveway. Hold their hand, keep them safe and teach them about the dangers of the road and vehicles.
- When backing out of the driveway, always check that there are no children on the driveway before you get into your car and check your rear-view mirrors before reversing.
- Always get your child out of the car kerb side.
- The road can be a dangerous place for young children, and children under 12 are legally allowed to cycle on the footpath – make sure they do!
At All Baby Hire we take safety very seriously. If you would like help choosing the right baby capsule or child seat / restraint to hire contact us today.