Rules for the Road
There are many aspects to vehicle safety. Whether your grandchildren are infants or teens, there are several things grandparents should always be aware of. From car seats to driving lessons, here are some tips for traveling safely. Confused About Car Seats?
There are three basic types of car seats, each designed to fit children of various ages and weights: infant seats, convertible seats, and booster seats.
- Infant seats are suitable for a child from birth up to about 20 pounds or one year of age. Infant seats always face the rear of the car.
- Convertible seats do "double duty", both as infant seats in the rear-facing position, and later turned forward and upright for toddlers. They are for a child from birth up to about 40 pounds.
- Booster seats are suitable for toddlers weighing more than 40 pounds, until the child reaches age 8 or a height of 4'9".
With the wide variety of child restraint systems, belt systems and passenger vehicles, correctly installing a child restraint system can be challenging. Making the right connections will help improve overall protection for your grandchild. Always read child restraint and vehicle manufacturers' instructions for proper use and installation information. Check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website for locations of car seat safety inspection stations to be sure the seat is installed properly, product information, and recalls. Remember, correct use is easy if you follow 4 simple steps: - Completely read the manufacturer's instructions for your car seat.
- Face the seat in the correct direction.
- Secure the safety seat with a safety belt.
- Secure your child snugly in the safety seat.
* Don't put children under age 12 in the front seat. The safest place is always in the back seat.
Teens Behind the Wheel
Getting a driver's license means more independence for teenage grandchildren, and even bigger concerns for grandparents. Teenagers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Compared with accidents of older drivers, those of 16 year-olds more often involve driver error. Factors contributing to accidents and serious injuries include, but are not limited to: distractions (such as additional teenage passengers; cell phone use or changing a CD); night driving; alcohol; and low seat belt use. Not all states require a learner's permit before obtaining a driver's license (and some permits are held for only a minimum length of time), so the time you spend behind the wheel with your teen is important - make it count! Whether your state has a
strict licensing procedure or not, grandparents can impose their own graduated system where driving privileges are phased in. When you understand the risk factors involved in letting your teenage grandchild behind the wheel, you can act to improve the situation for your own teen.
- Don't rely solely on high school driver education classes. Consider additional classes and training outside the school.
- Restrict night driving until the teen has had more experience behind the wheel and has proven he/she has obtained the skills for driving at night.
- Supervise practice driving - including night driving.
- Restrict passengers. Teen passengers in a vehicle can distract a beginning driver and/or lead to greater risk taking.
- Require seat belt use.
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