One of the most terrifying experiences can be getting into a car accident in North Carolina, especially if you have your children in the car. While you cannot prevent the careless or negligent behavior of other drivers, you can have some control over the safety of you and your passengers by being educated and implementing appropriate measures.
Understanding what steps you can take to provide optimal protection to your children when traveling in a vehicle may be the difference in your ability to prevent serious injury or death from happening if you are involved in a car accident.
Putting away the distractions
When you get into the driver seat and turn on your vehicle, it is your responsibility to put your full focus on driving. Participating in other activities while driving such as texting, looking for an address, eating and even conversing with your passengers, are all things that could potentially divert your attention away from the road. Distractions come in all forms and eliminating them all before you begin driving is crucial to the safety of you and your children. Teach your children the importance of keeping their voices lowered while you are driving and make sure their needs are met before you leave so that you are not distracted with demands while you are driving.
Protecting your children
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your children should always be seated in the back seat and in a child restraint appropriate for their age, height and weight. Even if you own a car seat that is the proper size for your child, if it is improperly installed it may be ineffective so adhere to the manufacturer instructions when installing any car seats in your vehicle. Children should never be seated in front of an airbag. Teach your children from a young age to buckle their seatbelt before the vehicle begins moving.
By reducing distractions, having proper restraints and setting an example about the importance of wearing a seatbelt, you may be able to help better protect your children from harm if you are in a car accident. For more information, if you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, visit our web page.
