Child car safety goes beyond car seats

Car accidents are the leading cause of injury for children. Ensuring kids are safe in the car goes beyond securing them in the right child safety seat. It means taking added precautions to avoid injuries.

According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, nearly 250,000 children are injured every year in car accidents in the United States. Up north, the Canadian Transportation Safety Board reports that roughly 160,000 road accidents occur in Canada each year. This translates to 2,800 to 2,900 people killed on the road every year. Car accidents are also the leading cause of acquired disability, such as brain injury and paralysis, for children nationwide.

Most people are aware that they should use the requisite child safety seat for their kids but do not heed other safety warnings. Here are some ways to keep children safe when riding in vehicles.

* Recognize that having a car seat is not enough. Even parents who have child safety seats for their kids may not be using them correctly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least 72 percent of the 3,500 observed child vehicle safety restraints being used indicated improper use. When poor use happens, the risk that the child will suffer an injury rises. One of the reasons children are harmed in vehicular accidents is because the child is moved to a larger restraint system or an adult seat prematurely.

* Do not leave a child unattended. Injuries can occur to children when they are left to their own devices in or around a vehicle. Although there are certain safety precautions built into a car, they are not always foolproof. A child may shift a parked car into gear and roll into the street from a driveway. Other injuries may include getting hurt from powered accessories in the car, such as moving seats or liftgates. A kid also may become trapped in a car or trunk, succumbing to heat stroke or lack of oxygen.

* Make sure kids stay buckled in. As a child graduates from 5-point harnesses to regular safety belts, they are likely to be able to unlatch the belt to exit the car. Some children are prone to taking off a seat belt while the car is in motion. NHTSA estimates note that the risk of injury by properly wearing safety belts and using safety seats correctly is reduced by 50 to 75 percent. Children moving around a vehicle are not only putting themselves at risk but the driver as well. A driver may become distracted by movement in the car. Furthermore, in the event an accident occurs, a child who is not wearing a seatbelt becomes a flying projectile who might injure others in the car.

* Keep all limbs inside the vehicle. It may seem like a game for a child to lean his or her head or arms out of the window while the vehicle is in motion, but such behavior is inherently risky. On narrow roadways or where the car comes close to roadside signs or passing cars, parts of the body outside of the vehicle can be hit and broken or even torn off. Always make sure kids keep their arms, legs and heads inside of the vehicle at all times.

* Be mindful of kids being injured when around a car. It's not only when a child is in the car that an injury may occur. Children who sprint into the street after a rolling ball or dash through parking lots may be hit by motorists who are not paying attention or do not react quickly enough. Drivers of SUVs and minivans often find it difficult to see a short child behind a car when backing up. An investment in a back-up camera or obstruction sensor can help reduce the risk of accident or injury.

Car trips can be done for business or leisure, and many times children come along for the ride. Ensuring their safety in and out of the car requires knowledge of many of the hazards that vehicles present.