5 Tips for Keeping Safe Inside Your Car
What’s out on the road can be out of our control, but we can maintain maximum safety within our car to help avoid injuries during a car accident . We all know about wearing seat belts, but what else can we do to make sure we’re safe?
Make sure you are wearing your seatbelt correctly
The lower part of the seat belt should sit low and tight across your hips, and should never go across your belly. The shoulder should fit snugly across your chest and shoulder, and not under your arm or across your neck.
Children should be in booster seats
The regulations on booster seats in Ontario say that children should use one if they are under 4 feet, 9 inches tall (1.4 meters) or until they reach the weight and height harness strap limits of their car seat, which is usually between the ages of 8 and 12.
Stay in the back until 12 years old
Did you know that when air bags open they come out at a speed of 160 to 200 kilometers per hour? That is a huge blast that protects adults, but can greatly injure children. Airbags are made for people above a certain size, so when the airbag inflates quickly it forces the child’s head up and back rather than protecting them like it would an adult.
Sit forward at all times
Your seatbelt is made for someone who is sitting straight and facing forward. If you’re in an accident and you’re turned to the side, creating a twist in your spine, this will cause extra strain and increase the risk of potential injury. Sitting straight forward can help mitigate this risk, and will keep the pressure points where they are meant to be!
Calm passengers make for a safe ride
Everyone in the back seat of the car needs to understand that keeping calm and relatively quiet is important for car safety. If people are arguing, yelling or moving around this will distract the driver. Make sure your kids understand that inside the car is quiet time.
If you have questions about a car accident you were in, contact Auger Hollingsworth for a free, no-obligation consultation at +1 (613) 233-4529. We can speak or meet with you within 48 hours, and often sooner!
