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May 12, 2020 by Greg Baumgartner
New parents often worry a great deal about something happening to their baby. When driving with a baby on board, it is crucial to be aware of the necessary safety precautions. Driving your car with a baby on board can be particularly nerve-wracking, and the inevitable anxiety is often not the best for your driving skills. Call a child injury lawyer in Houston at Baumgartner Law Firm if your child is hurt in an accident.
Here are some tips to help you drive more safely and worry less about your child’s safety.
Children should be in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least one year old. In some states, it’s legally required until two, and some experts recommend keeping your child in a rear-facing seat even longer.
A rear-facing seat supports your baby’s head and neck in the event of a crash and can reduce fatalities by as much as 71%. Your first car seat should be rear-facing only with a carrier handle.
Your car seat should meet NHTSA standards and be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Ensure the car seat is compatible with your car; sometimes, they don’t fit together properly. And, of course, your baby should be properly strapped in. Once your baby outgrows the infant car seat, get a convertible car seat, but keep them rear-facing.
Get the infant car seat before the baby arrives. You may need it to get home from the hospital. Infants must be in the back seat. Finally, register your car seat so you will be notified if there is a recall. Also, have it checked the first time you install it.
The local fire department may do this for free. Don’t buy a second-hand car seat. You don’t know if it’s already been in a wreck.
If you give your baby toys, secure them to the car seat to prevent them from falling out. They will be dropped, your child will cry, and you will have to pull over. This also prevents toys from becoming missiles if you have to hit the brakes. Newborns are best with no toys at all. They will most likely sleep.
If you are using a pacifier, be sure to tether it to the car seat as well. A pacifier can often be a good option for keeping your baby quiet in the car.
It’s always bad to talk and drive and worse to text and drive. When you also have a baby to think about, not much of your brain is left to concentrate on the road. Turn your phone off altogether rather than using hands-free or screen-based systems. It’s just too much of a distraction for anyone to cope with.
What is the best place to put your phone? The back seat is next to your baby. New parents often forget that their child is always there because it’s not yet part of the routine, and this is how babies get left in cars. It might seem callous that you’re more likely to remember your phone, but you have had it longer than the baby.
When your baby starts fussing, you look at her, and bad things happen. Reduce the risk that your baby will make trouble by feeding and changing her just before you head out. If possible, time your trip for when she is already tired. If she’s asleep, so much the better.
Never try to feed your baby while driving or while somebody else is driving unless there’s no other alternative. Pull over first.
If you don’t have defensive driving skills, the time to learn them is when you find out you are pregnant. Defensive driving means being prepared to react to other drivers, ready for the unexpected, controlling your speed and maintaining a safe distance between cars, and staying alert.
A defensive driving course is something every driver should consider as an investment in saving lives and time.
Install a sunshade in the side window closest to your baby. Nobody likes the sun right in their eyes, including a young baby. Bright sun can wake your baby and cause them to fuss or cry. This will also help your child stay at the right temperature.
As any new parent knows, sleep is a rare commodity for parents of a newborn. Drowsy driving was responsible for at least 800 deaths yearly, which is probably a lowball. The risk to new parents is as high as to shift workers or overworked commercial drivers.
If you are trading off who gets up to deal with the baby, have the other parent drive the next day. And understand that if you are not safe to drive, you may need to postpone the trip, whether you have your child in the car or not.
Maintain a regular sleep schedule, avoid alcohol even if you are not nursing, and be prepared to pull over if you experience warning signs, such as yawning, missing your exit, or drifting out of your lane.
Install a mirror in the back seat so you can see your child with a glance in the rearview mirror. Don’t use this as an excuse to keep eye contact with your baby.
Seeing the infant will help prevent stress, and the mirror will prevent you from turning around to check on them and taking your eyes off the road.
Avoid driving alone with your baby as much as possible, especially on longer trips, trade off driving, and have the parent or friend who is not driving sit in the back with the baby. That way, they can care for your kid while you focus on driving. This may not always be possible, but it will help keep you much more relaxed and your baby quieter.
While many things are the same when you have a baby, you must remember that you have an extra distraction in the car. It is all the more important to be rested, drive defensively, and remove distractions such as your cell phone from the equation.
Brought to you by the Houston personal injury lawyers at Baumgartner Law Firm.
6711 Cypress Creek Pkwy, Houston, TX, 77069
Since establishing Baumgartner Law Firm in 1985, Greg Baumgartner has built a reputation as one of Houston’s leading personal injury attorneys, dedicated to representing severely injured victims and families who have lost loved ones due to negligence.
Greg holds two law degrees, a distinction earned by less than 1% of all attorneys, demonstrating his exceptional legal expertise. He is also a prestigious Trial Lawyers College graduate, further enhancing his skills in trial advocacy and litigation.
His relentless commitment to legal excellence and client advocacy has earned him recognition from prestigious organizations, including Super Lawyers, the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and many others.
With decades of experience, Greg has consistently received top peer reviews. He holds a preeminent rating, a testament to his unwavering dedication to securing justice and maximum compensation for his clients.
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