3. If you are in an accident with a baby in the car
• Stop as soon as you can safely, even if you have been only indirectly involved and your car is undamaged. Turn off your car, leave the key in the
ignition, check that the parking brake is on.
• Don’t panic, even though you are feeling shock from the accident and concern for your baby.
• Call 9-1-1 for the police from your car, if possible, or ask
someone nearby to call, to report that you have a baby in your car.
• Call a family member or friend to pick you and your baby up. It’s best to call for help to drive you home, especially if you are upset or your car is disabled.
• Try to find a witness (not someone traveling in your car). Find someone who is willing to make a statement about the incident to your insurance company. Take their name and address.
• If another passenger has been driving in your car, if possible, have the person get the following information, as you stay with your baby: Before the cars are moved, if possible, make a sketch including the following:
• The position of the cars and their relation to the other car involved.
• Whether any car has crossed the central dividing line.
• If there are skid marks, estimate their length.
• Write down the damage to your car.
If possible, look at the condition of the other cars.
• Were their lights working? Do their tires appear in good condition or worn?
4. How child safety seats work – what’s the “ride-down” benefit? The child safety restraints provide a “ride-down” benefit during the rapid slow-down that take place in a crash.
If properly installed, child restraints work to allow the child’s body to stop as the vehicle is slowing, reducing the forces on the child’s body and preventing contact with hard surfaces inside the car, with other passengers, the road, or other cars.
Child safety seats also act to spread crash forces over a broad area of the body – reducing forces on any particular part of the child’s body and distribute these forces to the strongest parts – hips, back and shoulders.
5. Which Child Safety Seat, When
Infant Seats – For babies from birth until at least 20 pounds and one year
of age, who must ride rear-facing –
Until they move to …
Convertible Seats – Remains in a rear-facing seat as long as the seat weight limits allow (rear-facing is safest for infants than in forward-facing position)
Then graduate to…
Booster Seats – For children who are 40 pounds -- and about 4 years of age. A seat belt alone can’t protect a child adequately during a crash. Children need to be sitting in a booster seat while riding in a car until they are about 80 pounds – are 4 feet 9 inches and at least 8 years old.
Safety Belts
When a child is old enough and large enough to “fit” an adult safety belt,
they can move out of a booster seat. To “fit” a safety belt properly, the lap belt should fit snugly and properly across the upper thighs and the shoulder strap should cross over the shoulder and across the chest. Never allow the child to ride without the shoulder strap in place. |
6. LATCH -- Lower Anchor and Tether for Children)
What it is and how it works
LATCH is a locking device that provides anchors to steady the child safety seat and is very, very effective in reducing the forward movement of the child’s seat and the child.
LATCH is a system that attaches the child’s safety seat to the automobile seat by a strap that goes through the child’s safety seat and hooks on brackets welded
to the back of the automobile seat bite, on the left and right.
All passenger cars built from now on will have the LATCH system. All child car seats manufactured since 1999 have the tether available.
In many cases the tether hooks can be retrofitted on cars built since 1989. If a car comes with LATCH attachments, there is no reason to use the seat belt to attach the child’s car seat. For older cars, we still have to use the seat belts to attach the child’s seat.
7. Supplies for your baby
Medications – a backup supply that may be needed away from home.
Diapers, wipes, powdered formula, a few bottles of water, juice boxes and snacks.
Wet Wipes and Plastic Bags
Clothes – a change of clothes for both warm and cold weather.
Beach towel – can cover a hot seats,
use it as a pillow or a blanket.
Sunscreen – for babies over six months.
First Aid Kit
Window Shade – to keep the sun out of your baby’s face.
Toys and Books
No lollipops or hard candies, which could cause the baby
to choke.
Add things you think are necessary to keep in the car:
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