When you plan on taking your child on a journey by car, you might want to consider the different ways that you can look after their well-being. Sometimes, ideas you might have to allow them to engage more with the trip or enjoy it a bit more may actually be harming their health, or make it more likely for serious injury to occur. By taking the time to properly consider the different aspects of your journey, as well as your driver and parental responsibilities, you may be able to help keep them safer.
Comprehensive Insurance
It can be difficult to manage your existing finances, as well as to pay for the variety of things that your child wants or needs. One of the ways that you can offer your child extra protection within your vehicle, while still keeping costs down, can be through the use of pay-per-mile comprehensive car insurance. This means that you only pay for the number of miles that you travel each month or year, and you still get the benefits of comprehensive cover. This usually entails not only protection for any third parties involved in incidents, but also for yourself and any passengers in your vehicle. Knowing that, should an accident occur, your child’s medical needs will be covered thanks to your insurance, can help to take some of those concerns off of your plate.
Secure Fastenings
Upon entry into a vehicle, you should make sure that your child is sufficiently fastened in. For infants and younger children, this may require the usage of a rear-facing car seat, which can help to protect your small child from any impact. Older children may be in a front-facing booster seat, used alongside a regular seatbelt. Removing any large coats or blankets can help to fasten them more securely. Once your child has outgrown the use of any car seats, they should still use a seatbelt, even for short journeys. Children should remain in the rear of the car until they are at least 13 years old, and use belts with a three-point harness. If a younger child does need to be placed in the front of the car, it could be a good idea to disable the front passenger airbags, as they may cause more injury to your child.
Enable Locks
There might be a number of ways that you can protect your child while the car is in motion. Cars usually have a means of locking certain doors from the inside. Older models may require you to turn a switch built into the door itself using your key, while newer models might have a button you push from the driver’s seat that automatically locks all doors. You may also want to consider locking the windows so that your child cannot play with them. This can help to avoid them throwing anything out of the windows while the car is in motion, and also prevent hands or fingers from becoming trapped.
Vehicles can be incredibly dangerous, especially for young children. By considering the possibilities before driving, you may be better equipped to reduce the chances of harm.