Five Ways to Keep Your Family Safe

One of the best memories you can share with your children is one created when you travel with them. While it is so much fun and fosters a strong family bond, there are extra responsibilities that you should do to ensure their safety while traveling. Although it is true that you do not have control over other drivers, you can always take protective measures in your own vehicle for your family’s safety. Here are some simple tips to ensure that your children and your entire family are safe all the time, inside and around the vehicle.

Ensure your vehicle is in excellent condition.

Before traveling, make sure that you bring your vehicle in for a total checkup, to ensure that all the safety features of your car are in check. If you own a 2019 Toyota Camry, you can bring it to the nearest Toyota service center, so you can have it thoroughly inspected. If this option is not possible, you can have a mechanic check it up.

The mechanic will check the levels of the fluids in your vehicle, the condition of your tires, engine, lights, and brakes among others. Aside from this, you should also clean the windows, taillights, headlights, and signal lights thoroughly. It is easier to drive with clean and clear windows and brighter lights. Also, brighter lights mean that drivers on the road can easily see you, especially during the night drive.

Bring a disaster supply kit, extra tire, a pair of battery jumpers, and tire iron to be prepared in case of accident, disaster, or breakdown. Buy an emergency cellphone and place it in your glove box. This kind of phone can reach 9-1-1 even if you are in an area where there is no telecom service.

Make sure to buckle up.

Yes, this is very simple, but most often people do not use seatbelts, in spite of the benefits of doing so. These simple belts saved over 300,000 lives over the last five decades. According to the data released by the NHTSA, over 50 percent of teenagers killed in car crashes were not wearing seatbelts. It is also equally important that you know where to properly position your kids in the car when you are traveling.

Use appropriate and properly installed carseats for kids.

Children 12 years and below should be in the rear seat, seating in the appropriate kid seat with the seat belt buckled up. Make sure that the child’s seat is properly installed. In a report released by Safe Kids Worldwide approximately 73 percent of the kid’s car seats are not properly installed, and not secured tightly to the vehicle. It is also important to buy the right child safety seat. This kind of seat is designed for the kid’s weight and height. Remember that each time you move to the next level of the car seat, you are giving up a little bit of your child’s crash safety.

Make sure to secure gears.

Any kind of loose ends or odds in your vehicle could be potentially dangerous projectiles in the event of a car crash. Do not put any heavy objects on the package shelf, located at the back of the rear seats. Use cargo anchors to fasten and secure items in the trunk. Heavy items must be placed on the floor, and avoid putting anything in the cargo that could fly into the seats.

Do not text or use your phone while driving.

Avoid using your phone while driving. No matter how important, always resist the temptation of reading the messages. If you are waiting for an important message, stop the car and access your phone. Do not practice distracted driving because, aside from risking everyone’s life, you are also teaching your child a bad habit.

These are just some of the simple, but very helpful tips that you can do if you are traveling with your family. By being attentive, cautious, and safety-oriented with children, you can help ensure their safety inside and around the vehicle while traveling.