Top Ways to Protect Children During A Car Ride And Reduce Injuries In Case Of An Accident

A car accident can do serious damage – not only to your vehicle, but you and your fellow passengers as well. If those passengers happen to be children, the lifelong repercussions of an accident can be heartbreaking.

According to Illinois law, children who are younger than eight years of age have to be restrained in a child safety seat. This piece of safety equipment can prevent serious injuries or worse. Here are some you should be aware of:

Types of Child Safety Seats

If you are aware of the terminology, determining which seat your child should have will be easy.

Rear-Facing Car Seat

This car seat is ideal for small children or infants as it provides the maximum restraint required to prevent injuries during a collision.

Forward-Facing Car Seat

Once your child is too old for a rear-facing seat, purchase a forward-facing car seat. It comes with a harness, which can prevent a child from pitching forward during impact.

Booster Seat

This is a good seat to help your young child transition from the forward-facing seat. It allows children to use a regular seat belt, according to their height. At a young age, children are not old enough to wear only a seatbelt.

In Illinois, children can start wearing a regular seatbelt when they can rest their back easily against the seat and bend their knees over the edge of the seat. Depending on the growth rate, this can include children who are eight to 12 years of age.

How to Protect Children During a Car Accident

If you find yourself in a car accident and your children are with you, their safety should be prioritized. Whether they are aware a crash has occurred or not, provide them a verbal assurance so they remain calm and grounded.

If a serious crash is inevitable, tell them to duck and tuck their heads against the seat in front of them. Also make sure safety locks are engaged before you head out. Doing so can ensure your children will remain seated until it is safe to respond.

After the crash, if you are able to, move the vehicle to the side of the road and turn off the engine. Ask your children if they are safe and contact emergency services. This routine will calm you and keep you grounded, something your scared children will need at the time.

If the driver of the other vehicle is at fault and refuses to cooperate when you ask for their insurance information, get in touch with an attorney at the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens. We have more than 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of accident victims such as yourself in Chicago, Waukegan, Woodstock, Libertyville and Antioch, IL.