Driving with Kids
Millions of kids are transported by car every day, and while the vast majority of journeys are uneventful, the sad fact is that accidents do happen. You can reduce the chance of this happening to you by driving responsibly, ensuring kids are properly restrained, and never letting unruly kids distract the driver.
Driving responsibly means obeying speed limits and other traffic laws, not using a phone, and definitely not driving while intoxicated. On a long trip it’s also important to take plenty of breaks so that the driver doesn’t get fatigued and the kids can run off some steam.
Everyone who rides in a car should be properly restrained. This ensures that, should an accident occur, they won’t be thrown against the various hard surfaces inside the vehicle, or worse, be ejected. For adults, regular seat belts are sufficient but kids need restraints that suit their height and weight. This means infants and small children should be strapped into appropriate child seats. Taller and older kids can use a booster seat and the regular seat belt. Bear in mind though, that if a child seat is ever involved in an accident it should be replaced as soon as possible.
Laws about how to restrain kids in cars vary from place to place, but a good guiding principal is to never put small children in the front seat. The child’s size and weight determine when they’re big enough, but as a rule of thumb, kids under thirteen should always ride in the back. Once there, make sure to engage the child locks on the doors and disable the electric windows. The car’s manual will explain how.
Never squeeze in more kids than there are restraints. If the vehicle stops suddenly any unrestrained mass – or child - will become a projectile that could strike the windshield. Likewise, never hold a baby in your arms because in a panic stop you will be unable to avoid letting the child go.
Driver distraction is a significant cause of road accidents, and few things are as distracting as kids arguing in the back. If there’s no passenger on board to handle child control, it’s essential to tolerate the racket until it’s safe to stop. Only then should the driver try to sort things out. Never turn around to confront the kids while the car is in motion.
One way to prevent kids from quarreling is to provide some in-car entertainment. Teenagers will generally occupy themselves with music players or by watching DVDs. Younger kids don’t always have the attention span for a movie, so for these try a selection of songs on CD that they can sing along with. Yes, you’ll be getting bored by the eighth repetition of “The Wheels on the Bus” but that’s better than stopping to sort out a fight.
Lastly, many small kids suffer from travel sickness and sometimes they’ll provide very little warning of when they can’t hold back. Keep a couple of plastic bags in the car in case this happens when you can’t stop safely; that way at least the upholstery and clothes should stay clean!
Fortunately, most car journeys are uneventful, but by driving responsibly, ensuring that everyone is properly restrained, and avoiding distractions, you can help keep your kids safe.
