When traveling with kids by car, safety knowledge is a must-know. Tomorrow is the National Day holiday, and while chatting with colleagues about where to go, we also complained about how our kids have so much homework and no time to finish it. Can the kids do their homework in the car? Below, I’ve included some essential tips for safe road trips.
“No, absolutely don’t let your child do homework in the car!” I immediately warned her: “Doing homework in the car is not only bad for the eyes, but also very dangerous!”
In fact, there are many other safety details to keep in mind when traveling with babies by car. Parents, don’t overlook them!
Today, Fei Ba Bao Bei will summarize some of the key safety considerations for babies in the car:
One. Child safety seats.
As adults, we all know to wear seat belts in the car. But using regular seat belts for babies just won’t do!
On one hand, a baby’s neck is relatively weak, and regular seat belts can't properly secure the upper body.
On the other hand, the built-in seat belts in car seats are not the right size either—they simply can’t properly restrain a baby. That’s where child safety seats come in.
It is generally recommended that all children under the age of 12 (or those weighing less than 30 kg) use a child safety seat.
Two. Don’t share seat belts.
Even if your child is old enough not to need a child safety seat anymore, don’t share a seat belt with anyone else—whether it's two kids sharing or a child and a parent.
Three. Lock the car doors.
Make sure the back doors are locked while driving!
Kids’ hands are always fiddling around, and you need to ensure they can’t open the back doors.
Also, in some cars, the back seat is connected to the trunk. In such cases, the trunk should be locked as well—you never know when a naughty child might try to jump out from the back.
Four. Try not to open the back windows.
All parents should know this: to prevent kids from putting their heads or hands out the window.
But if your child has motion sickness, you can open the window slightly. On the highway, even a small gap will let in a steady stream of fresh air.
Five. Don’t let kids play with hard objects in the car.
It’s not just pencils—keep all sharp or hard objects away from your child. Otherwise, in the event of sudden braking, accidents could easily happen!
Six. Watch your child’s fingers.When you put your child in the car and then turn to get in from the other side, if you absentmindedly close the door, a tragedy could occur. Because in that moment, your child may be about to climb out of the door.
So before closing the door, make sure to face your child, confirm that they’re seated properly, and can see both of their hands are in front of them.
Where is the safest seat for a child?
The answer is the middle seat in the back row.
The front passenger seat is widely regarded as the most dangerous spot. For children, the front airbag is also a hazard. Because airbags deploy at extremely high speeds, and a child’s neck is too fragile to withstand that impact. So, even in a minor collision, a child in the front passenger seat is at risk.
The back seats on either side are safer than the front passenger seat, but since they are near the windows, they are the first to be affected in side collisions.