Precautions to Take with Children in the Car

In a recent report, a woman ran into a car while driving in San Antonio, killing the driver of the car she hit and ejecting a 7-year-old child from the car. The child was sitting in the car that she hit, and it’s possible that the woman gets charged with some form of manslaughter.

It’s currently unclear as to whether or not the woman was driving while intoxicated or if she was too tired to sleep. Regardless, the young boy was found with terrible injuries and sent to the local hospital where he eventually died. This brings up many questions about driving on a road in San Antonio, but this is obviously something that occurs anywhere in the country. The main point is that both the driver and boy were killed in the crash, leaving relatives or friends to try and figure out if they can get some sort of compensation for the negligence that occurred.

The first area to start is to call a San Antonio personal injury lawyer, but obviously, since the driver is dead he can’t make the call, so any other people are going to have to step in and try to find justice for the deaths.

Unfortunately, things like this have to happen for us to talk about safety, so let’s explore some ways to keep your kids safe before and during car accidents.

Always Put Your Kids in the Back Seat and Have Them Buckle Up

The back seat is always better than having your kids sit in the front, but sometimes problems still occur in the backseat. Show your kids how to buckle up and protect themselves from problems on the road.

Consider Car Seats for Young Children

Sometimes you start thinking that a car seat is no longer needed, but they still make larger car seat for young children who seem to outgrow their toddler seats. Think about installing one of these seats that a horrible San Antonio car accident like this won’t happen.

Why are Car Seats Necessary?

You may have to suddenly swerve or stop your vehicle while you’re driving. If a car seat does not restrain your child, they are likely to incur a serious injury. Since your child’s brain and body is still developing, they are particularly prone to serious harm after a car accident.

Your child’s small size can make it easy for them to fly out of the vehicle and suffer from a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or another injury that can hurt their quality of life and development for years to come. Restraining your child in a car seat can reduce their risk for injury in a crash by 71%, according to Safe Ride 4 Kids, an educational resource for information about child passenger safety.

Child Safety Seat Laws in Texas

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has outlined child safety seat guidelines that you must adhere to if you’re driving with a child within the state. These guidelines depend on the age and weight of the children.

Birth to 2 Years of Age

Children who are between 0 and 2 years of age, or up to the maximum allowable weight for a certain car seat (this number varies depending on the manufacturer) must be placed in a rear-facing car seat. When placing your child in a such a car seat, you need to secure the chest clip evenly with your child’s armpits and ensure harness straps are fit snugly to their body. Also, be sure to follow all of the manufacturer’s installation and use directions.

2 to 4 Years of Age

Some manufacturers recommend a forward-facing safety seat for children aged 2 to 4 years – depending on the child’s height and weight. Be sure to use the seat belt or lower anchors to secure your child’s safety seat but refrain from using both. In addition, pay close attention to the installation and use directions set forth by the manufacturer.

4 to 8 Years of Age

If your child is between 4 and 8-years-old, use a booster seat that is right for their particular height and weight. You should fasten the lap belt across their thighs, not their stomach, and make sure the shoulder belt rests across your child’s chest.

If your child passenger is over the age of 8, they should be secured with a shoulder and lap seat belt. It is also important to note that no one under the age of 13 should sit in the front of a car.

What Happens If Seat Belt Safety is Disregarded?

TxDOT takes child passenger safety very seriously and has therefore implemented the Click It or Ticket program. It is designed to protect drivers and passengers and provides valuable Texas car seat safety information for parents. Under this program, drivers will receive a ticket of at least $250 if a child is improperly restrained in a car seat.

Talk to Your Kids About Car Safety before Getting in the Car

When something like this happens it’s important to speak with your kids about how they should prepare for and respond to a car accident. If they know how to get out of a car after a car accident then they should be much better off than if not.

It’s also wise to show them how to buckle up their seat belt and even instruct other people to buckle up when they get in a car with them.

Contact The Law Giant for Help Today

The Law Giant, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers is well-versed in child passenger safety in Texas. If you have a question related to properly protecting a child passenger, or are looking for skilled legal representation for your car accident case, reach out to us right away. To schedule a free, initial evaluation of your case, contact us today at (866) 523-4167.