Keeping Kids Safe In Cars
It’s time for another #TrafficTipTuesday! This week Sgt. Eaton has some information about keeping your kids safe in the car!
“Hello and welcome to a kid friendly edition of #TrafficTipTuesday. This week I want to talk about the segment of the population that gets the least amount of attention here. Passengers. Specifically, I want to spend some time covering child safety and what you can do to keep your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, cousins, or whatever other young one you take along for the ride safe. Let’s get to it!
If you grew up when I did, which was a loooooong time ago, there wasn’t much care given to child passenger safety. In some cases, our parents just tossed us into the car (quite literally I might add) and went zipping down the road. Fortunately child passenger laws have come a long way since then. Currently Maryland law requires that all children under 8 years of age be in a car safety seat unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches. However, these are minimal standards, and children should remain in their child safety seat until they can fit the lap and shoulder belt correctly. Many of you are probably saying to yourselves, “well, DUH Traffic Sgt Eaton…of COURSE my precious wittle bubsie is in a child safety seat.” That is a great start, however the Maryland Highway Safety Office website Zerodeathsmd.gov (which you REALLY should be checking out) estimates that 50% of all child safety seats are incorrectly installed. Before you go racing out to the old family roadster and tugging on safety seat straps, there is help out there to help you make sure your infant seat or booster seat in properly installed.
Kids In Safety Seats (K.I.S.S.) is an outstanding resource. They offer tips, advice and strategies to keep your little ones safe. You can also set up a virtual appointment during which a trained member of the staff will walk you through proper safety seat installation. Make sure you check out https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/oehfp/kiss/Pages/Home.aspx for more information.
Perfect installation won’t help, though, if your preschooler or elementary-age child isn’t using the seat properly. Having the chest clip too low is a common mistake, but that is what prevents your child from flying out of the seat or getting severe neck damage in an accident. I have also personally seen multiple instances of children unbuckling themselves to move around a vehicle while in motion, as well as putting their shoulder belt behind them in a booster seat. But even something as simple as slamming on the brakes to avoid a deer can cause injuries to small bodies that aren’t secure.
Just remember, children are the most vulnerable travelers on our county’s roadways. Make sure you are doing what you can to ensure that your little bundle of joy continues to drive you nuts for many years to come.
As always, if you have a question or concern, please leave it in the comments below. Also, if you have a specific concern with unsafe driving in your area, such as speeding, drag racing, etc., give us a call, send an email, or reach out on social media. Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely
HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt on Instagram