Safe Driving Tips for Children;

There are many things to consider when you are driving infants or small children even in a vehicle purchased from a Nissan Oakville dealership or other that has safety features. Not following proper safety tips for children can lead to a serious injury in an accident or worse, and following the proper tips can result in your child being properly protected in an accident. Even vehicles purchased from a BMW Dealer Inglewood with excellent safety features require you to follow safety protocols in order to protect children.

Before driving your vehicle purchased at Glencoe Toyota, check out the recommendations by the NHTSA about how to drive safely with children in a vehicle. If you have an infant that weighs less than 20-22 pounds, or who is less than one year old, the infant should ride a seat facing the rear of the vehicle. This protects the infants head in the case of an accident and back as well. The seat is placed in a 45 degree reclining angle.

Children that are over one year old and between 20 to 40 pounds can ride with a forward facing position with straps and a booster seat. Children that weigh over 40 pounds should have the straps removed and the seat is used as a belt positioning booster. Children that weigh between 40 to 80 pounds should ride in a belt positioning booster seat. These are used with a lap and shoulder belt across the child, and the shoulder belt should fit snugly on the child's chest.

Booster seats can be used until the child can sit on their own with their back against the cushion with their knees bent over the seat cushion edge and with their feet on the floor. Children who are age 12 and under must be properly restrained in the back seat. The child seat instruction manual may have different directions and it should be read before you make any choices, and also read the vehicle's manual for instructions on how to set up child safety seats with your particular vehicle.

Child Passenger Safety Week!

It may be a bit early to start reporting this, but the more times you see it the more likely you are to take advantage of this great service being offered.  The week of September 19 through September 25, 2010 is "Child Passenger Safety Week" through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  Sure, Labor Day is also coming up and the cars offered at Pittsburgh Nissan Dealers on outgoing 2010 models may monopolize your time.  But for those people who carry children in their vehicles regularly, you really should take some time to make sure that everything is in good working order.  According to the NHTSA, three out of four child safety seats are improperly installed; that is 75% of seats in American that could cause injury to your precious cargo.

If you bought your car from Philadelphia Ford Dealers it shows you are concerned with things like quality, value, and safety.  Ford models are a great value, crafted from the finest materials, and consistently exceed crash test rating requirements.  Parents are encouraged to take their Ford Escape Inventory or other primary driving vehicle to one of the seat inspection stations on September 25, 2010.  There are thousands of locations across the country that will help parents and guardians make sure that their child safety seat is properly installed.

From the website, you can find special features like requiring a Spanish or other language safety seat technician.  Also, parents are encouraged to check their local newspapers for information on local events that will be happening.  This is a completely free service sponsored by this government agency and dedicated volunteers at the local level.  All levels of safety seats can be inspected; rear facing, forward facing, booster seats, and even seat belt usage for minors.  Children tend to be accident prone enough all on their own; it is our job to keep them safe when we can!

NHTSA, car seat safety, child car seat safety

Car Safety For Babies;

If you have a baby with you in tow as you drive, there is nothing more important that your child's safety while driving. There are great safe vehicles for families which can be purchased from Cincinnati Used Cars dealerships throughout the country. Larger vehicles are safer for babies and small children and many vans that can be found at a Ford San Antonio or other dealership feature the latest in safety features for children.

Even some of the Volkswagen sedans sold at VW Dealer businesses are safe for young children. However, you will want to be sure that you follow defensive driving habits to greatly decrease your chance of an accident. If someone hits you, there is nothing you can do about that, but if you want to truly avoid the chance of an accident, you can empower yourself with defensive driving and other safety measures.

You will want to use car seats no matter how far you are driving. The seat should be appropriate for the child's age. Unrestrained children or infants are in great risk of serious injury or death in an accident. There are child passenger safety seat inspection offices throughout the United States which can help you learn how to buckle your child's safety belts in properly.

After you have installed the seat properly, be sure to check the buckle to make sure it is secure. Do not place children younger than 12 in a seat equipped with an airbag as airbag deployment may cause serious injuries to young children. Be sure to check your vehicle for movable objects, since movable objects are a source of potential injury during an accident. Objects in a vehicle become like projectiles in the case of an accident since they do not slow down with the vehicle. Large items should be secured and small items should be locked away or placed into storage.