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Seat Belts & Safety Tips in Vehicles
Here are some interesting Articles from ClubMom that I thought you would like. You know how strongly I feel about Seat Belts on every School Bus, everywhere -- all our children are worth the extra effort to get this through... so the chances are high that these articles will interest you, too. I'm a real stickler for not having anything in the Van that can become Airborn if, God Forbid, there was an accident. Pens, Sunglasses, Small Toys, Bottles -- anything at all that isn't nailed down, so-to-speak!
Also, you have to really watch out for anything like a pop can or bottle, books, magazines ... you name it -- anything that could potentially slide under the Gas or Brake Pedals and prevent you from being able to apply pressure on either the Gas or Brake Pedals... that can happen faster than you think it can, so I make everyone do a quick check when we get in the van to make sure we're 'All Clear' before we go. A lot of New Drivers aren't familiar with this problem, so if you know any, be sure to pass this little message along, please!<
Riding Rules for Tots and Teens Beyond the basics--children shouldn't sit in front of an air bag, infants need to be in rear-facing child seats--take note of these tips regarding kids and cars that you probably haven't heard By Jayne O'Donnell Car seats and coats don't always
mix. Some rearview mirrors can be dangerous. An unlocked auto is a hazard waiting
to happen. Not all safety belts save lives. There are rare instances when young
kids are safest sitting up front. When riding shotgun, it's best to
be empty-handed. ClubMom's AutoPro, Jayne O'Donnell, is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter (and new mom!) whose automotive expertise and investigative reporting skills have helped break some of the biggest auto-safety stories of the past several years. Copyright © 1999-2004 ClubMom, Inc. All rights reserved.
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By Jayne O'Donnell I know, I know. Getting a 6-year-old who has been riding in the car like a "big girl" to go back to a child seat would be no easy task. But now there's considerable evidence that keeping older kids in booster seats until they reach small-adult size reduces injuries and saves lives. Still, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says fewer than 7 percent of the 20 million U.S. children ages 4 to 8 are riding in booster seats. That's a frightening statistic when you consider that more than 500 children in this age group are killed in car accidents each year, and thousands more are injured. Safety experts say many of the deaths and injuries could be prevented by the proper use of booster seats. Understanding the Necessity Autumn Alexander Skeen lost her 4-year-old son in a crash when an adult seat belt failed to keep him inside the car. Skeen is now a spokeswoman for Ford Motor Company's educational campaign promoting booster-seat use. "No parent should ever know the pain of losing a child, especially if death or injury is easily preventable," Skeen says. A Simple Solution Booster seats are available at many major department stores and at Web sites and superstores that carry children's products. Your vehicle's manufacturer or your insurance company may also be able to make suggestions about where to buy a booster seat in your neighborhood. Some insurance and car companies even have special programs that offer the seats for free or at a discount. ClubMom's AutoPro, Jayne O'Donnell, is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter (and new mom!) whose automotive expertise and investigative reporting skills have helped break some of the biggest auto-safety stories of the past several years. Copyright © 1999-2004 ClubMom, Inc. All rights reserved.
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The newest breed of seating systems keeps kid passengers more secure and makes installation a snap By Jayne O'Donnell For a new mom with just one infant, I take more than my share of child safety seats in and out of cars. That's because I test drive at least one new car or truck every week, and little Cate almost always comes along for the ride. So it stands to reason that I'm excited about the new child seating system known as "LATCH" (short for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). LATCH has two components: a top-tether anchor for use with forward-facing seats and easy-lock lower anchor points for use with all child safety seats. LATCH is a blessing for anyone who's ever struggled with car seat belts to install a child safety seat. (And if you're really getting the child seat snug enough, you're doing some wrestling.) This new system eliminates the need to even touch the car's belts when you're putting in a child seat. The lower anchor portion of the LATCH system will be required in all new cars, minivans, and light trucks beginning September 1, 2002. But it has already shown up in many 2001 cars and trucks, including the Ford Escape sport-utility vehicle, General Motors' minivans, the Nissan Frontier pickup truck, the Infiniti G20 sedan, and Chrysler's redesigned minivans. How LATCH Works Even if your vehicle isn't equipped with the lower anchor, car seat tether straps attached to anchor tether points in the vehicle can improve child-seat security. As of September 1, 2000, all new cars, minivans, and trucks were required to have anchors for use with child-seat tether straps. These anchors are often found on the shelf behind the back seat of a car, or on the seat back or floor of a van or SUV. When attached to the tether strap found on most new child seats, these anchors help reduce head injury to children by decreasing the distance your child's head moves forward in a crash. Older-model cars can be retrofitted with tether anchor attachments, so contact your dealer. (Some older safety seats can also be fitted with the tether, so contact the manufacturer.) Room for Improvement Second complaint: On most cars I've tested with LATCH, it's much easier to hook the seats in than to unhook them. This should be less of a problem when child-seat makers begin selling special LATCH seats with hard lower attachment points instead of standard seats with LATCH mini-belts. Then again, most people won't be taking their child safety seats in and out of cars as often as I do. ClubMom's AutoPro, Jayne O'Donnell, is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter (and new mom!) whose automotive expertise and investigative reporting skills have helped break some of the biggest auto-safety stories of the past several years. Copyright © 1999-2004 ClubMom, Inc. All rights reserved.
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