Baby Safety Answers!

 

Q: How are kids injured in cars?

A: In that fraction of a second after the crash the trauma that causes most injuries takes place when the body of an unrestrained child strikes something inside of the car.

"A properly used safety seat will usually prevent injuries by keeping the child from being thrown against hard surfaces inside the car and being thrown out of the car," Bob says.

A check list:
• Leave yourself extra time. Many crashes take place when we are in a rush. Then, if you really need to check on the baby, you have time to pull over.
• Have everyone buckle up for every trip. Even for a short trip, your child must be in a child safety seat and everyone else in the car.
• Never have a child ride on someone’s lap – it’s the most dangerous place for a child to ride. In case of a sudden stop, you probably wouldn't be able to hold on to the child.
• But even if you could, your body would crush the child as you were thrown against the dashboard and windshield.
• Keep children in the back seat – far away from the point of impact in a car collision, most often the front. The force of an opening air bag on a passenger-side will hit the seat close to the dashboard and can seriously injure or kill an infant.
• Secure all objects like groceries and toys – so they don't hit your child in a sudden stop.
• Objects that are not secured become projectiles that can seriously injure a child.
• Drive Safely – Avoid sudden stops, sharp turns, speeding! Stay focused and alert – do not talk on the phone or become distracted.
• Keep your eye on the road and not the baby. Compare your baby traveling to your baby sleeping. A baby properly secured in a safety seat doesn't need constant watching.
• Install an inside rearview mirror so you can see your baby without turning around.

If your child is injured in a car crash turn to
The Baby Safe Car Bag for answers.