The Spanish Association of Pediatrics notes that the correct use of child restraint systems could prevent 75% of deaths and 90% of injuries to children caused in an accident. This means that mistakes that endanger children traveling by car are very frequent.
That is why we will remember these failures, in addition these days many children are already on vacation and if there is luck and parents also enjoy this rest time it is likely that the family travel by car.
Experts say that, although most parents have chairs, belts and ultimately child restraint mechanisms, they are not always used, or used incorrectly. These errors can be motivated by ignorance or overconfidence (short journeys are the best example).
But, given the risks to which we expose the little ones, we should pay full attention not to commit these failures when traveling by car with children:
Most frequent mistakes by car
It is not enough that the baby or child is seated in a car seat, but that it must be correctly positioned, with tight straps, arms in position without removing them from the harnesses or the belt ... Another issue on how to ensure that they remain well subject: educating them since childhood in road safety is important, and little by little they will understand that it is dangerous for them not to go well.
The chair must be installed correctly, following the manufacturer's instructions and checking that it is properly secured. Some child restraint systems (SRI) they must be anchored in the seat by means of safety belts, which slide along specific guides. If we do not hold them correctly, in case of impact they will move, hitting the baby, and they can even get fired. Regarding the IsoFIX anchor, it is easier to place, which reduces the possibility of installation error, although its characteristics must be known. If necessary, we can ask the seller to help us place the SRI.
The SRI should be adjusted to the weight of the children (not age), otherwise it can be very dangerous in case of an accident (whether it is large or small for the child). There are reducers for adapting large SRIs to younger children, but it will always be better if the chair itself fits the child's size, without "supplements." Here you can check which is the appropriate chair, the different groups.
The SRI should be adapted to the progressive growth of the child, adjusting the harness's travel, the height of the head restraints ... Until it is necessary to change to the upper group seat because the weight of the child is already necessary.
If we use second-hand safety chairs, we must ensure that its components are not worn and verify that they continue to fulfill their function. If the chair structure is worn, or there is a damaged component, the SRI loses its effectiveness. Therefore, it is always convenient to buy a new product, which conforms to the latest European regulations.
In this sense, if for economic reasons we decide on a second-hand chair (for example those sold on the Internet), it must be ensured that they are approved according to the latest normative indications and not about old or defective systems. Only the SRI approved They have gone through tests to verify their reliability and robustness (and even so, every year we see that there are seats that do not fulfill their protection functions well). The approval label (orange) is the guarantee that the chair meets the standards.
If we had a hit with the car, it is convenient to replace the chair (the higher the speed was at the moment of impact), since its structure may have been damaged and would not fulfill its function correctly.
As far as possible, let's place the children in the back seat of the vehicle, as it has been shown to be a safer place than the front seat.
The rear-facing car seat must not be placed in the passenger seat protected by a front airbag, unless it is deactivated.
There should be no loose objects inside the car, as they could injure children (and us) in case of slowdown or impact. The videos or CDs must be stored, subjects correctly and separated from the occupants.
Make sure the windows are closed and the door blockers are in the correct position.
As we have said in the introduction, it is important to protect children also on short journeys, when we trust and do without the well-placed SRIs.
We parents must ensure greater caution behind the wheel, respect for traffic rules and set an example for our small passengers with a civic driving.
Finally, we cannot fail to mention a frequent mistake that adults make: not putting on a seat belt. In these situations in which we not only play our lives but also that of our children, it is important to set an example and be the first to be properly held in the vehicle seat.
In short, to ensure the proper provision of the child restraint device in case of an accident we must ensure that we do not commit any of these mistakes that endanger children traveling by car. Safe and prudent driving becomes a good trip.
Photos | treehouse1977 and yoshimov on Flickr-CC In Motorpasión | Child seats: essential always In Babies and more | Child restraint systems: tips for use, Child restraint systems: purchase tips, DGT information website: learn about child restraint systems
