From highchairs to car chairs, we invest heavily in making sure we have the right products for our children to be comfortable and safe wherever they may be. While this heavy investment in all areas of a child’s life may be true, with regards to travelling what can be overlooked is the knowledge of what to do and how to keep them safe when driving or in the event of a breakdown. Here is some helpful advice on keeping the little ones safe on the long open road not just for today’s trip, but for a lifetime of adventures.
• Firstly, road safety is not just about keeping children safe now. The way they see you behave in the car is likely to shape the type of driver they will grow up to be. The safer you drive when they’re young, the safer they are likely to drive when they pass their test.
• A third of parents spend between 10 and 49 hours a month in the car with their children. This means that children quickly start to recognize the way you act in the car. With this in mind, make your children aware that once you are in the car, you need to concentrate fully on driving as it can be very dangerous.
• Anger not only upsets children, leading to extra distractions, but also teaches them that it’s okay to be angry and aggressive behind the wheel. One day, that might just catch up with them so set a good example now and keep your children safe for years to come.
The most important part of keeping a baby or child safe in your car is to make sure they have the right seat for their size, and it is properly fitted. Here is what you need to know by law about keeping a child safe when using a car seat.
• All children under 3 years old must use an appropriate child restraint when travelling in any car or goods vehicle (except in the rear of a taxi if a child seat is not available).
• Children aged 3 or more years old, and up to 135cm (approx 4ft 5in) tall, must use an appropriate child restraint when travelling in cars or goods vehicles fitted with seat belts. A few exceptions are permitted.
• Rear-facing baby seats must not be used in seats with an active front air-bag
• If seat belts are provided, you can't carry more people in the rear than there are seats fitted with belts or restraints.
• Your child seats must be approved to the '03' or later version of Regulation 44, so an approval label with 44.03 or 44.04 is ok but you can't use a seat with 44.02
• Since April 2015, child seats may also be approved to Regulation 129 (i-Size).
If the worst does happen and you are in an accident or breakdown and need to stop on the side of the road, there is no concrete way of keeping you and your children safe, but preparation could be vital in keeping the percentages in your favor. If you have invested in the best quality in-car safety products (e.g. car chairs), then make sure you have the best quality breakdown appliances. The BriteAngle LED Warning Triangle will keep you as safe and seen as possible on the side of the road. Visible from 300m away, oncoming traffic will be fully aware of your location, keeping you and your loved ones safe until further assistance arrives.
For all parents, it’s the little things that make a big difference to child’s well being, so don’t forget to travel with your BriteAngle and have the safest possible journey wherever you and the little ones may be heading.