This is a sponsored post. But all views regarding car seat safety mentioned below are of my own.
In India there aren’t any mandatory child safety seat regulations. However, the rate of accidents is too high so using a car seat is of paramount importance to ensure the safety of our children.
Firstly, I shall list the precautions you need to take while choosing the correct car seat.
- Every vehicle has its own specifications pertaining to the car seat installation. So, read the owner’s manual carefully before buying a car seat.
- Make sure you choose the correct seat for your child’s age, weight, and height.
- Buy a car seat according to the space available in the rear seat area of your car. A seat with a large base may not fit in a small car.
- Choose a car seat which has clear instruction manual regarding installations with proper diagrams and text.
- Make sure that the belt path is easily accessible and the seat belt can be securely fastened.
- Choose a car seat with clips which are secure and cannot be opened by a child easily. You can choose a car seat with a two- piece retainer clip as these are difficult for a child to unfasten.
- Choose a car seat which is easier to clean. This is necessary for Indian conditions particularly.
Since we do not have mandatory rules in India, I do not see many parents using car seats for their children. Rather I see infants and toddlers seating in the lap of adults in the front seats of the car. I feel this is too dangerous and should be avoided. Also, since we do not use car seat we might make some mistakes regarding car seat safety.
So, I have listed here common mistakes that parents make regarding car seat safety.
- Not using the car seat regularly and consistently.
- Getting a used car seat without checking out the car seat specifications of your car.
- Placing the car seat in the wrong place. Always place the car seat in the center of the back seat.
- Using the car seat as a replacement for the crib. Using the car seat outside of the car for general use and for long hours is not good for the child.
- Installing the car seat incorrectly without reading the instruction manual.
- Reclining the child at an incorrect angle in the rear facing position of the car seat. Again, read the instruction manual and understand the diagram properly while adjusting the angle of the car seat.
- Moving to a forward -facing car seat too soon. A child should be moved to a forward-facing car seat only when he has reached the age of 2 years, gained a weight of around 16 kilograms or a height allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
- Not using booster seats. In India we do not use booster seats. We start buckling them up on the seat belts too soon. According to international safety standards a child should ride in a booster seat until he reaches the age of 8 years.
- Holding the child in your lap.
- Letting your child ride in the front seat.
Have you used a car seat for your child? What precautions you take while driving with your child? Do you feel India needs laws pertaining to car seat safety?
Do let me know in your comments.
Until then Drive Safe! Happy Parenting!
To know more about cars and installation of car seats visit : cars.com
Images courtesy: Pixabay