Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe in the Car

Motor vehicle accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for children between ages 1 and 14, as Kingston and Newburgh NY insurance professionals recognize. But did you know that nearly 60% of deaths were due to failure to use appropriate car seats, boosters, or seat belts? Surprisingly, as studies find that over 80% of child safety seats are misused, and in some areas, the rate soars to 95%.

Here is some good news from the Car-Safety Organization: Simply using car seats and boosters correctly can save lives. According to statistics, fatal injuries to infants can be reduced by as much as 71%. Proper use of boosters can cut the toddler injury rate in half.

Your Albany and Saratoga NY insurance professionals recommend that you keep your children safe by following the following 10 Basic Rules provided by the Car-Safety Organization:

1. Kids 12 and under should ALWAYS ride in the back seat. This cuts their risk of death by 36%. 
2. Kids should be in a carseat or booster until they can be seated properly in a seatbelt. For most kids, this is around 8 years old or 4' 9" tall, but proper seatbelt fit is the most important factor. 
3. Never place a rear-facing carseat in the front seat when there is an active frontal airbag. Keep your baby rear-facing as long as possible. That can mean up to 30, 33 or 35 pounds in most current convertible seats unless they outgrow it by height first. 
4. All current car seats pass government safety standards. Select the one that best fits your child, your vehicle and your budget. Some models do have different features; select one that has the features that will allow you to use it correctly EVERY trip. 
5. Always read the owner’s manuals for your vehicle and carseat thoroughly. They often contain specific information about carseat installation that may not be obvious. Some models may vary from what you would expect. 
6. Make sure that the harness fits snugly on your child, the carseat fits snugly in your vehicle, and that your vehicle seatbelts are locked properly. 
7. When you buy a carseat, make sure you have a good return policy in case it doesn't fit or in case you find you don't like it. 
8. Have your seat inspected by a certified technician for free at a checkup event or fitting station. 
9. Please be wary of used carseats, especially those over 6 years old, those with an unknown history that may have been in a crash, those that show any form of cracks or damage, and those with missing labels, model number, manufacturing date, instructions or parts. 
10. Please give driving your complete, unimpaired attention and wear your own seatbelt all the time. These two simple steps are among these easiest ways you can protect yourself and your passengers from injury or death.

For additional useful information for families with children, see their website.

For additional information on Newburgh and Kingston NY insurance rates, check with your local professional agents. Their top concern is your family’s safety and security at home and on the road.