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Travel safety
- Always drive carefully.
- Ensure that the vehicle is in good condition (see spring
car maintenance tips).
- Supervise young children closely when using public restrooms.
- Covering the seats with seat covers and a blanket under
the seat cover makes it much softer and protects the seats
from spills.
- Try to have an extra set of car keys available just
in case.
- Cover the floor of the vehicle with plastic floor runners.
- Place curtains or shades on the passenger windows –
this is especially helpful for young children when they
are sleeping to keep the sun out of their eyes.
- Fill the car with gas the day before your trip.
- Take a break every two hours. Look for a rest area
or a park for some fresh air.
- Drink some fluids to avoid dehydration and crankiness.
- To avoid spillage - bring drinks in spill proof containers.
- Practice sun safety for everyone's eyes on sunny days.
- Make sure the travel first-aid kit is handy.
- Try to plan travel times around a large city to avoid
the rush hours.
- Practice defensive driving to help keep everyone safe.
- Have one parent/adult be in charge of driving, as it
requires a lot of concentration. The other can look after
directions and keeping the kids occupied and happy.
- Never leave children in a parked car. Heat in a parked
car is very dangerous. When the outside temperature is
93 F, even with a window cracked, the temperature inside
a car can reach 125 F in just 20 minutes and approximately
140 F in 40 minutes. Many parents mistakenly think they
can leave a child in a vehicle while running a “quick”
errand. Unfortunately, a delay of just a few minutes can
lead to tragedy. Heat is much more dangerous to children
than it is to adults. When left in a hot vehicle, a young
child’s core body temperature can increase three
to five times faster than that of an adult, causing permanent
injury or death.
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- It
is not just enough to make sure that everyone in the
vehicle has a seat belt. As parents we need to ensure
that each occupant and especially children are secured
in a proper and safe seat. Make sure that you are using
the correct type and size of seat for the child.
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- Never use a child safety seat that is 10 years old
or older. Check for recall notices periodically. Any seat
that has been in an accident should be discarded properly.
Take advantage of any safety programs that check the installation
of car seats in your area.
- Children should always be placed in rear seats, and
never place rear-facing infant seats in the front seat.
- Don't let children have latex balloons, small toys
or food that can cause choking in the car. Ensure that
young children and infants have toys that are safe with
no small pieces to choke on. Teach children not to chew
crayons.
- Never store a barbecue tank in the car, especially
during hot weather.
- Lock door while traveling and when you leave the car
- but make sure you have the keys first. Never leave children
in a car alone.
- Have an emergency car kit with flashlight, blankets
and basic tools.
- Make sure roof racks and luggage, etc, carried on the
roof is secure.
Children
and Vehicle Safety
- While parked in a driveway, your car can be especially
hazardous. Unlocked cars pose serious risks to children
who are naturally curious and often lack fear. Once they
crawl in, children don't have the developmental capability
to get out. More than a third of deaths reported last
year occurred when children crawled into unlocked cars
while playing, they became trapped and perished in the
sweltering heat.
- Teach children not to play in or around cars.
- Always lock car doors and trunks even at home.
- Be wary of child-resistant locks. Teach older children
how to disable the driver's door locks if they unintentionally
become entrapped in a motor vehicle.
- Check to make sure all children leave the vehicle when
you reach your destination.
- Don't over look sleeping infants.
- Watch children closely around cars, particularly when
loading and unloading.
- Make sure you check the temperature of the car seat
surface and safety belt buckles before restraining your
children in the car.
- Use a light covering to shade the seat of your parked
car. Consider using windshield shades in front and back
windows.
Trunks are for Elephants, not for Kids
Children may think the trunk is a "fun" hiding place, but
if they become trapped, they could suffer a devastating heat
stroke leading to permanent injury or death. Keep car keys
out of children's reach and sight.
- Keep the trunk of your car locked at all times, especially when parked in the driveway or near the home.
- Keep the rear fold-down seats closed to help prevent kids from getting into the trunk from inside the car
- Contact your automobile dealership about getting your vehicle retrofitted with a trunk release mechanism
- If your child gets locked inside a car, get him/her
out and dial 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately.
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