summer safety

 

A few summer car safety tips to keep in mind as the temperatures heat up.

car seat, carseat, kids, car safety

Photo from Britax

Summertime is meant for fun, fun, fun. Here are a few things parents with cars can do to protect their kids.


  • Apply sunblock for long, sunny road trips: Of course, your child is at risk for sunburn if you're driving with the windows down, so lather on the sunscreen for windows-down car travel. While most glass blocks the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays that cause sunburn, a car window doesn't necessarily block ultraviolet A (UVA), which can still cause skin damage and can lead to skin cancer and skin aging in the long run. In this case and depending how cautious you want to be about overall skin protection, sunscreen, sun glasses, and sun shades with suction cups are your best bets for prolonged sun exposure in the car. 
  • Watch out for car seat buckle burns: If your car is parked in the hot sun, then your car seat and its metal components are probably sizzling hot too. When leaving the car in the sun, throw a blanket or towel over the buckles or other metal parts. If you forget to cover the car seat, just beware of hot buckles when placing your child in the car seat. Cover the buckles and/or run the car's A/C for a few minutes to cool down the car seat before setting your toddler in it.
  • Keep the car seat straps tight: Even when your child gets warm and sweaty and maybe even sandy this summer, don't be tempted to loosen your car seat straps. Continue to practice good car seat safety all the sticky summer long. Safety first!
  • DO NOT leave kids in the car. Do not leave your children (or pets) in a car — even in mildly warm temperatures — not for ten minutes, not for two minutes, not with the windows cracked, not with the windows down, not at all. Every summer, CHILDREN DIE in cars from heat stroke or overheating. Also, practice good trunk safety: don't let kids access or play in the trunk of the car.

Here's to a safe and happy summer for you and your family!