Toddlers are curious and love exploring their surroundings and finding new ways to occupy their time. And while feeling adventurous is perfectly fine at home, the car doesn’t leave much room for messing around, especially when it comes to being safe. As you take the reins behind the wheel, keep in mind the following lessons designed to teach your toddlers about proper car etiquette.
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Distractions Are a Big No-No
The last thing you want is to see and hear your kids picking at each other in the backseat or throwing temper tantrums. Both are definite ways to distract you while driving and could cause you to lose focus.
Teach your toddler the proper way to call out to you, sans the screaming and yelling. Sudden loud sounds could put your heart and head into panic mode and distract you enough to drift out of your lane. If your toddlers are acting out, pull over to a shoulder and help resolve the issue before getting back on the road.
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Don’t Play Around With Power Windows
Power windows are handy modern creations, but their ability to open and close quickly could make them hazards for kids. They’re strong enough to crush small fingers and hands and even strangle a child whose head has gotten stuck in the opening. Toddlers and young children are the most susceptible to these types of injuries, so make sure your little ones know not to mess around with the windows when they’re in motion.
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Always Stay Buckled In
Just like your toddlers shouldn’t play near the windows, they also shouldn’t unbuckle their car-seat restraints while the car is still moving. We know kids are curious and want to explore new things, so they might find it fun to buckle and unbuckle their restraints or even escape their car seats, but seat-belt safety isn’t something to mess around with.
Explain the importance of staying strapped in the car. Seatbelts restrain passengers so they aren’t thrown forward or to the side during an accident — something you’d hate to see happen to your toddler. You can avoid all that by making sure your child is safely strapped into the proper restraints. The lap part of the belt should fit snug across the upper part of the hips, while the shoulder straps snugly rest across the chest and shoulder. Make sure you adjust the straps to fit your toddler appropriately and keep soft toys around to distract them from unbuckling their seatbelts.
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Stay Safe Outside of the Car, Too
It’s not only important to teach your toddlers how to be safe and courteous in the car, but also how to be cautious and aware outside. Warn your little ones about the dangers of running off. They could get in the way of other cars and end up in a driver’s blind spot. It’s also important to teach your kids not to play on the driveway or street, especially behind a parked vehicle. After all, staying safe around cars is just as crucial as staying safe inside one.
Knowing and understanding these lessons are great ways to enhance your toddler’s safety both in and out of the car.
Image via Chrysler.com
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