With summer fast approaching and warmer weather on the horizon, here are some car seat safety tips you will want to keep in mind!
Controlling Heat in the Car Seat.
One of the biggest concerns in the summer is how fast a car can heat up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that heat strokes in the car are the leading non-crash related cause of death by automobiles for kids under the age of 14. On average 37 children die each year as a result of being left in a hot car, with over half of them being under the age of 2.
Here is why heat stroke is common and dangerous in children:
- Kid’s bodies heat up 3 to 5 times fast than adults.
- Rolling the windows down doesn’t help with the temperature.
- Even on a 72 degree day, the inside of a car can reach deadly temperature in only 30 minutes.
Tips for a Safe Summer.
- Never leave your child alone in the car. Period. Not even for a few minute, because you never know what could happen.
- Educate your child. If your child is older talk to them about what they should do if they ever get trapped in a car. Such as honk the horn until help arrives.
- Create a reminder. Experts recommend creating some sort of reminder so you will not accidentally leave a child in a car. You would be surprised how easily a sleeping baby in a rear facing car seat can be forgotten. As a reminder stash something in the back seat like your purse or something you need to bring into work like a badge. This way you are reminded your child is in the car. As silly as this sounds, this happens more often than you think.
For more information on car seat safety see our post on, “Are you making this one BIG car seat mistake?”
To see all of our driving resources click here!
Great reminders! I just can’t see ever feeling ok with leaving my kids in a hot car, their life is worth the extra work if taking them into the stwork re with you! It’s heartbreaking seeing those stories year after year! Great post!
Great reminders! I’ll be needing this for this summer 🙂
Thank you for posting this! Car seat safety is so important. These are all wonderful reminders. I live in the Arizona desert and cars heat up so fast here, especially when it’s 120 out. We just try to avoid going out in the car as much as we can then.
These are great tips. Parents are busy and distracted, and it’s not like they want to forget about their child, it just happens occasionally. I love the suggestion for stashing something you need next to the carseat.
Great advice!! Definitely needed for summer!!
Such great reminders! Car seat safety is something that needs to be top priority! Thanks for sharing!
Great advice and reminder. When my daughter was a baby, I got so nervous this could happen. Now it’s so routine to look back there because I always have her with me.
I have two little ones. Thanks for the reminders. I need to start using the trick of leaving a reminder in the back.