Babylite

Car seat safety ideas and rules are constantly changing to put crash data to better use. These car seat safety ideas are designed to provide the best protection for your baby in case of a crash, but the constant changes can be confusing for parents. Confusion often leads to car seat safety errors. Take a look at these ten common car seat safety mistakes, then learn how to fix them so baby is as safe as possible in the car.

As harrowing as it can be to travel to the airport, schlep all your stuff (and baby!) through the security checkpoint and then all the way across the terminal to the gate that is absolutely the farthest one from where you entered the airport (and trust me, it will always be that gate), and then cool your heels for two hours at the gate because you did such an awesome job of getting to the airport ahead of time…as harrowing as all that can be, the scariest part of any travel experience is actually flying on the plane with your baby.

Will your baby have seven dirty nappys in a row? Spit-up on the person sitting in front of you while you are standing and digging frantically through the overhead compartment for the bag with the burp cloths? Scream so loudly and persistently that the flight attendants make you exit the plane mid-air?

Maybe! But by being creative and staying focused on your baby’s moods and needs, you can make these disasters a little less likely to happen.

First things first, you’ll want to start the flight with your baby as dry and happy as possible. If you did not already change your baby’s nappy right before boarding the plane (and that is what I would recommend), go to the bathroom now and do it before take-off. Of course, there aren’t any guarantees. One time my daughter had a huge nappy right before we boarded, and I thought I was safe, and then an hour later she had a blowout that shot all the way up her back. We coped, and once I changed her again, she was fine for the rest of the flight.

To keep the pressure in your baby’s ears equalized during take-off (and landing, too) try to nurse or feed your baby a bottle as the plane moves into the air. You can also give him or her a pacifier or something else to suck on to relieve the pressure. Time this carefully, though. Once my nephew threw up everywhere during take-off because my sister-in-law had fed him two bottles already. Twice their plane had started to take off, and then stopped and returned to the airport to wait around some more instead. By the third take-off/bottle, my nephew had had enough!

Some people recommend giving your baby some children’s Benadryl for a flight to help his or her sinuses and, as a bonus side effect, basically sedate him or her to sleep. If you are going to try this, definitely check with your pediatrician ahead of time for the proper dosage, and test it on your baby beforehand to make sure he or she doesn’t react badly to it (about 30% of people get very wired after taking this medicine!).

The most important thing to keep in mind during the flight is to focus on your baby. If your baby is sleeping peacefully in a car seat then yes, kick back with a book or iPod movie and enjoy some you-time. Otherwise, however, you need to watch your baby’s mood constantly for signals about how he or she is feeling and try to head off any trouble at the pass.

Does your baby seem hungry or thirsty? Nurse him or her or bring out the bottle and snack bag. Does he or she seem uncomfortable? Check his or her nappy or remove or add a layer of clothing. Sometimes even just taking off your baby’s socks and playing with his or her toes can cheer the baby up. Does your baby seem tired? Unfortunately, if feeding hasn’t put your baby to sleep, you may need to walk up and down the aisle and rock him or her for a while to calm him or her down.

Does your baby seem bored? Give him or her a tour of your seat. Point out the window and talk about the things you are passing. Lift him or her up to inspect the buttons and lights above (though don’t call for the flight attendant by accident). Gently lift and lower your tray or let your baby play with the safety instruction card and the air-sickness bag. I once entertained my son for almost an hour with some magazine subscription cards. Get creative and act like you are having the time of your life. Your baby will most likely pick up on your mood and start enjoying him or herself as well. Take advantage of the flight to spend some good quality time together!

Whatever else happens, don’t panic. If your baby does start fussing and wailing, it can be very easy to get flustered, embarrassed, and angry at the situation. Your baby will sense your feelings and just get more upset. It can be very hard to do this, but stay as calm as you can and just keep trying new things to soothe your baby. Other people can be very judgmental about parents who bring babies on planes, but at the same time, people also appreciate seeing parents make the effort to keep their babies settled and happy.

If all else fails, one of my friends begins each flight by buying everyone around her a drink as a sort of pre-apology. And one time one of her fellow passengers offered to buy her one in return because he suspected she could use one the most! She didn’t take him up on the offer, of course, but in general people really will be empathetic to your situation if they can tell you are doing your best to keep your baby content.

Buying a car is a big purchase, so make sure you take into consideration family friendly features.

If you’re a parent-to-be what are the features to look for when purchasing or upgrading your vehicle?

• Space is clearly a priority for young families, so you really need a car with four doors.
• Make sure you take everything you’ll need in a car with you to the dealership when you’re shopping around. That includes the pram, which is the bulkiest item parents are likely to carry. That way you make sure it’s all going to fit in the new car.
• Also keep an eye on how high (or low) the car is and how easy it is to access the rear seats. A taller car can reduce strain on your back because you won’t have to lean as far down to strap your child in.
• Above all that, though, safety should be a priority for any parents.

When you’re carrying around precious cargo, safety is clearly important. What are the key safety features worth considering?
There are many, and they’re split into two main categories – those that can help avoid a crash and those that will help save your life once you’re having a crash.

For me, crash avoidance is preferable, so I’d make sure you’ve at least got anti-lock brakes (ABS), which can reduce braking distances (particularly on a wet road) and help the driver maintain steering control in an emergency.

A more advanced crash avoidance technology is electronic stability control, or ESC (it’s also marketed as ESP, VSC, DSC and all manner of other acronyms!). ESC can help control a slide or skid and keep you on the road. It does that by using sensors and computers to determine if the car is losing control, then applying brake pressure to individual wheels (not even Michael Schumacher can do that!) to bring the car back under control. If it’s optional on the car you’re looking at then pay the extra money to get it – hopefully you’ll never use it, but if you do it could save your life.

In terms of occupant protection during a crash, a seatbelt is still one of the best things you can have. So one of the best things you can do is make sure your child is wearing their seatbelt. And make sure the seatbelts are proper lap-sash belts, not the ones that just go over your lap. Those lap-only belts can be deadly, and unfortunately they’re still being fitted to some family cars, including people-movers.

What about airbags?
Airbags can be a life saver in cushioning an impact and reducing severe injuries. There are four main types of airbags

• front airbags (housed in the steering wheel and dashboard)
• side airbags (usually in the front doors or sides of the seats)
• side curtain airbags (in the roof to protect the head in a side impact)
• knee airbags (not so much a life saver, but a way to reduce leg injuries)

Almost all new cars come with at least two front airbags, while most four-door cars over $30,000 now come with six airbags (dual front, front-side and side-curtain airbags). Then there are knee airbags, which are sometimes just on the driver’s side. 

If some of the airbags are only available as an option, I’d recommend paying extra – you can never have too much safety. Also, if you’re buying a car with three rows of seats, make sure the curtain airbags protect all three rows; in some cars those curtain airbags stop in the middle of the car, which could prove fatal if you’ve got kids in the back.

I’ve heard airbags can be dangerous for children. Is that true?
Generally no, but it depends where the airbags and where your child is. It’s worth noting that airbags aren’t the pillowy devices Hollywood may have you imagine. They’re fired in milliseconds using explosives, so commonly result in minor injuries such as broken noses and bruising. The upside is they can also save your life.

Almost every modern car comes with at least two airbags, one in the steering wheel and the other in the dashboard in front of the front seat passenger. The one in the front passenger’s seat is designed to be used with a person strapped into a seatbelt and facing forward. For that reason, it’s imperative you do NOT fit a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of any car. The force of the airbag exploding could do more injury to your child than the crash itself by sending the entire seat capsule backwards.

It’s also important that anyone – including children – doesn’t rest their feet on the dashboard, because they could suffer severe leg injuries if an airbag is deployed. Some cars also have airbags in the rear doors, to protect occupants in a side impact. If your car has these fitted (check your owner’s manual or ask your dealer) don’t let your children sleep against the door. Again, the force of the airbag exploding directly on to your child’s head could have fatal consequences.

Any other features you think will keep a family safe relating to cars?
Child locks on doors are obviously a great idea, and I’d definitely recommend enabling them on at least the traffic side of the car (the driver’s side) to stop kids diving out into the traffic.

A cargo barrier is also a valuable addition, not just for helping arrange things in the back of a wagon or 4WD, but also from a safety perspective. If you have a crash at 70km/h then whatever’s in the back of the car will try to keep going at 70km/h. That can be a pretty big smack in the back of your head.

Reversing cameras are also handy for seeing if there’s a little one lurking behind the car. But even if you have a camera you should still turn around to look and keep an eye on your mirrors.

I’ve heard about NCAP and its vehicle safety ratings. What is it and should I worry about it?
NCAP is also know as the New Car Assessment Program and is the only independent crash test authority in the world. It conducts crash tests on new vehicles in a laboratory using crash test dummies. While it’s not exactly real-world, the tests are formulated to simulate conditions you could encounter in a regular crash.

The good thing with the NCAP testing is that it doesn’t just look at how many airbags a car has. Instead it effectively evaluates the overall structure of the car in terms of its crash worthiness and how well it’s likely to look after the people inside.

While the NCAP tests are not perfect – critics don’t like the fact each car gets only one chance and the tests don’t take into account every crash scenario – they provide the only comparative data when it comes to vehicle safety. Cars are rated out of five stars, and I’d recommend looking for a car that achieves at least a four-star rating.

Should you look for a car with child restraint anchor points?
Fortunately it’s mandatory for all cars with rear seats sold in Australia to come with child seat anchor points. But it’s worth looking at where those anchor points are in the vehicle.

Most sedans have the anchor points on the rear parcel shelf, near where the speakers for the stereo are. But wagons, hatchbacks and 4WDs typically have space behind the seats, so the anchor points will likely be in one of three places: in the roof, on the seatbacks, or on the floor towards the back of the car.

The worst option of those three is with the anchor points on the floor at the back of the car, because it obstructs the vehicle’s load space. Once you have the straps in place securing the child seat they will cut directly through the load area, so you may not even be able to pop the pram in the boot. It’s very restrictive and annoying. So look for a car with the anchor points either in the roof (although, again, be mindful of where the straps will run) or on the backs of the seats.

Why don’t car makers put seatbelt warnings in the back seats?
Good question. Most new cars will beep at you if the driver or front passenger doesn’t put their seatbelt on, but it seems superfluous given those in the front are usually adults who will probably put their seatbelts on anyway. Unfortunately in most cars, the only way to check whether a kid has their seatbelt on is to turn around and look – it’s not exactly a practical solution. Thankfully, some cars now have seatbelt warning systems for the back seats, and they’re on surprisingly affordable cars, such as the Honda Accord Euro and Mazda3. They’re a great idea and provide peace of mind that your child is actually wearing what is the most important safety feature in the car.

Is the seating position important for children?
Absolutely. It’s critical kids can see out the windows, mainly for their comfort – and yours! Some cars, particularly sports models, can have high windows, so make sure your child joins you when you’re car shopping. That way you can plonk them in the back to get an idea of what they’ll be looking at and whether they’ll be comfortable.

Many modern family cars, including the Ford Territory, also have stadium-style seating, where each row of seats is slightly higher than the one in front! It’s great for helping with forward vision, which can go a long way to reducing car sickness and generally making for a happy family. Some cars, mainly Volvos, also have built-in booster seats, which give the child a better view and also ensure the seatbelt sits in the optimum position across their chest.

What are the others features we should be looking for – the ones that that will make day to day life easier?
Rear air vents are great for making kids more comfortable and potentially fending off car sickness. Many large cars and people-movers have air vents to the back seats. But if you’re buying a vehicle with three rows of seats check whether there are vents in the third row. If not, you at least want to make sure you can open the rear-most windows.

One really handy item that’s started popping up on some people movers (such as the Kia Grand Carnival and Citroen Picasso) is a child-minding rear vision mirror. They’re a small convex mirror just above the regular rear vision mirror that allows you to keep an eye on what’s happening behind you.

Another great addition is a DVD player with screens in the back for the kids. They’re standard in some cars or you can pick up aftermarket ones pretty cheap at electrical retailers. But try to make sure the screens are fitted above the heads of the children, because looking down can be a recipe for motion sickness.

Leather seats can also be a bonus. Let’s face it, kids can be pretty messy, and many are prone to motion sickness. But I’ll guarantee it’s a lot easier to wipe gunk off leather than try to sponge it out of fabric.

Sliding doors are also a plus because they’ll stop kids opening doors into adjacent cars when you’re in a car park. Be careful, though, because some can be really heavy to open and close if you’re parked on a hill. Some cars, like the Chrysler Grand Voyager and Kia Grand Carnival have electric opening doors available, so you can control them from the front seat at the push of a button.

Cupholders and storage boxes are also handy, whether it’s for keeping drink bottles upright or giving kids somewhere to store their toys. Some cars even have covered binnacles, which are a great idea. Perhaps not surprisingly it’s American brands like Chrysler that excel with these sorts of features. If you’re planning a long drive, it’s worth looking at a window shade or blind so the kids don’t spend the whole trip sheltering from the sun. Oh yeah, and keep some empty plastic bags in the car; they’re great for rubbish and can double as sick bags!

Once you’ve bought the car, what can you do to ensure it’s as safe as possible?
Number one is to have it serviced regularly. Modern cars are pretty much run by computers and most will self diagnose a problem, so if something is wrong the service centre should be able to find it quickly and rectify the issue before it becomes a bigger issue. That can also obviously help with ensuring your journey doesn’t have an unexpected interruption.

Also keep an eye on all warning lights and consult the owner’s manual – or a dealer – if there’s a problem. Another really basic but essential thing to keep an eye on is your car’s tyres – and don’t forget the spare! Tyres provide the only contact between your car and the road, so it’s essential you make sure they’re in good order.

First and foremost make sure there’s enough tread. All tyres come with wear indicators; they’re little triangles on the side of the tyre pointing to a raised section within the tread. If the raised section is at the same level as the rest of the tread, then you’re tyres are illegal and won’t get rid of water effectively on a wet road.