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 Q. For short
trips, why bother with the child safety seat?
A. The
greatest number of crashes occur on short trips at low speeds. Three-fourths of all
crashes happen within 25 miles of the home. And 40 percent of all fatal crashes take place
on roads where the speed limit was 45 mph or less.
Q. An adult’s lap is pretty safe, right?
A. Wrong.
Grown-up arms are no substitute for a safety restraint. In a 30 mph crash, a child is
thrown with a force equal to 20 times his or her own weight!
Q. Where is the
safest place for the kids in the car?
A. The backseat
is the safest place for a child of any age. In the back, the child is further away from
the impact of a head-on collusion, which can cause the most serious injuries. Never put
a rear-facing infant seat in the front when there is a passenger airbag.
Q. What about
manual cut-off switches for airbags?
A. According to
the U.S. Department of Transportation, some people may need them. For more information and
for permission to have the switch installed in your vehicle, contact the national highway
traffic safety administration’s auto safety hotline at:
www.nhtsa.dot.gov or 1-800-424-9393.
Q. When are the kids big enough for a regular
seat belt?
A. In general,
when they are over 80 pounds approximately eight years of age. Too many children start
using their regular seat belts to soon. The shoulder belt should never cross the face or
front of the neck.
Q. The
kids are probably restrained. How do I keep them from driving me crazy?
A. Keep
the occupied. At whole, work with them and put together in entertainment game kit for the
car. Many of their favorite games are available in miniature magnetic versions designed
for travel. Make sure all items are lightweight and secured so they do not become
projectiles in the event of a crash. Also, never forget the importance snacks. You if your
child is sleeping, never leave him or her in the car what you tend to a quick errand. It
is not worth the risk.
You can also contact the National Safety Council at:
www.nsc.org
for more materials.
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