Driving Safely with Children in Oakley
I’m Ed Smith, an Oakley Car Accident Lawyer. Oakley is a beautiful suburban city that you can count on for quiet, peaceful nights. However, Oakley has very close access to freeways, which means you must be a well-prepared driver if you plan on using a car as your primary mode of transportation. If you have any children that you plan on driving to daycare, soccer practice, or other activities, you must have even sharper driving skills to safely get your way around Oakley. Although you may not be able to control the actions of other drivers on the road, you can do your own part by following the rules of the road and making sure your children are properly secured in your vehicle.
Buckle Up
Many still ignore the use of seatbelts in their car despite the safety benefits they offer. Studies have revealed that seat belts have saved 329,715 lives in the last 50 years. In addition, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that over half of the teenagers who have passed away in a car accident did not have their seatbelt on.
Placement is Crucial
Children ages 0 to 12 should always be placed in the rear seat, accompanied by a properly fitted child seat, booster seat, and seatbelt. The specific type of car seat for a child will depend on a combination of factors such as their height, weight, and age. To review more detailed information about California car seat laws, visit www.chp.ca.gov.
Proper Car Seat Installation
Roughly 73 percent of all car seats are incorrectly installed, as reported by Safe Kids Worldwide. These poorly installed car seats usually fail to be tightly secured, which can have dangerous consequences in the event of a car accident. To check if your car seat is installed correctly, follow the instruction manual or look it up online. You can also head over to safekids.org to find a local car seat technician that can inspect your seat and rearrange it if necessary.
Never Text While Driving
It can be hard to ignore the rings and buzzes that come from various cell phone alerts, but you must never give in to the temptation to check and respond to any notifications. Before you start driving, activate airplane mode on your phone, turn the volume off, and put it out of your reach. You can also just shut off your phone entirely to guarantee no distractions. Not only does distracted driving make the road a more dangerous place to be, but it can also pass down bad habits to your kids.
Never Leave Kids Alone in a Car
There are reports every year of children that have died from suffering heatstroke while they were alone in a car and their guardian was elsewhere. Many of these depressing cases were accidental. Know your child’s location at all times of the day. If necessary, leave yourself reminders that a kid is in the back, such as setting one of their toys in the passenger seat up front or leaving your wallet in the backseat.
Oakley Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Oakley Car Accident Lawyer. Driver negligence is a major cause of many car accidents today, which can lead to severe injury or even death to those involved. If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, I am here to offer you free, friendly legal advice on your situation. Contact me any time at (925) 428-5220 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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Photo Attribution: By “Jagmeet Singh” via Unsplash
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