A child is the most precious cargo you will ever transport in your vehicle. No matter if you are taking a drive around the block or going on a long trip, it is essential to ensure that any children in the vehicle will be as safe as possible at all times.

Five Things You Can Do To Make Your Car Safer When Traveling With Children

1. Use the right car seat. Hands down, this is one of the best things you can do. As unfortunate as it sounds, there are many people who don’t have the right car seat for their child. Worse yet, there are some who don’t use a car seat when it is required by state and/or federal regulations.

There are many types of car seats on the market, ranging from those for babies to those for older children.

Tip: it is important to ensure that the seat is being used properly. Since 2002, cars have been manufactured with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system. Do you know how to use this?

2. Stay informed. Are you aware of any car seat recalls? How about any new products on the market designed to increased safety? These are the types of questions that you need to ask and answer to ensure that you are informed at all times.

There is nothing worse than using a car seat that has been recalled or missing out on a new product that could improve the overall safety of your vehicle.

3. Follow the rules of the road. Let’s face it: this is something you should be doing no matter if you are driving alone or with a child. However, when you have a child onboard it is extremely important that you stay as safe as possible on the road.

For example, a fender bender may not do you any harm. If a child is in the back seat, though, a minor accident can be extremely dangerous.

4. Choose the right vehicle. Are you in the market for a new car? Before you make a final decision, turn to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for more information on which vehicles have the highest safety ratings.

While every car that makes its way to the market must meet strict safety standards, some have additional features that help move them to the top of the industry. If you are going to buy a new car, you might as well shop for one that is known to have advanced safety features.

5. Keep it clean. If you are the type of person who keeps a dirty car, you need to change your ways before traveling with a child. You never know what a child is going to pick up off the seat. For this reason, you should keep your vehicle as clean as possible at all times.

Tip: it is best to use the trunk for storage to avoid any objects causing harm in the event of an accident or sudden stop.

By taking these five simple steps, you can make your car safer for children. If you have a little one on the way, there is no better time than now to consider these five pointers. This will ensure that your vehicle is as safe as possible for your baby from day one.

Fortunately, you can quickly improve the safety of your vehicle as long as you take the proper steps and put a little time into the process. This will go a long way in easing the stress that is often times involved with traveling with a child.