AUTO SAFETY NEWS AND TIPS

Use Car Phones Safely

Driving is hard, even when you concentrate fully on the road. Driving while using a phone can be distracting and dangerous. According to the California Highway Patrol, cell phone usage is the top cause of distracted driving accidents.

Because of the increased danger, it is important to use cell phones safely when driving. Here are some tips:

• Buy a phone that is easy to use. Many safety experts recommend a phone that has a hands-free speakerphone. Also, use features like automatic dial and memory dial. These can reduce distractions while driving.
• Keep your phone where you can reach it, and still watch the road.
• Assess traffic before using your phone. If traffic is heavy or weather is bad, don’t make calls, and let voicemail answer your calls.
• Dial numbers only when stopped. This is the safest time to call.

Buckle Up Children Correctly

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 4 and 14. Many of these deaths could have been avoided by properly buckling up children. In fact, nearly half of all children ride in the wrong type of restraint for their age and size. Here are tips to make sure kids are properly belted while driving.

• Child Safety Seats. The law requires all infants and toddlers to ride in child car seats. Though many already do, many of these seats are installed wrong. If you drive with a child who uses a safety seat, be sure that the seat is installed and used correctly. Read the instructions that come with the seat, and the car owner’s manual to find out how to properly install the seat.
• Air bags. Children should never ride in the front seat of a car that has a passenger side air bag. The air bag can inflate with enough force to injur or even kill the child.
• Booster seats. Many parents have their children go straight from using a child safety seats to adult seat belts. This is almost always a bad idea, as using adult seatbelts too soon can cause injuries. The solution for children too old or too big for child safety seats, and too young or small for seatbelts is booster seats. These raise the child so the seatbelt fits correctly. Safety experts suggest that kids who have outgrown child car seats use booster seats until at least age 8, or over 4’ 9” and 80 pounds.