Congratulations on becoming parents for the first time! With kids around, your responsibilities simply double up, and at the same time, you will have to make sure that you provide your child with a safe and secure environment. Of course, you spend a lot of time and money baby-proofing your home, but you need to be vigilant about baby-proofing your car as well. Car safety is often overlooked by most parents. However, this responsibility should not be taken lightly and your family car must be baby-proofed. Fortunately, baby-proofing your car is quite simple as long as you follow a few tips sincerely. Have a look at a few tips that we have compiled to ensure your baby’s safety in the car.

Car seat

Several studies have proven that kids who do not travel in a car seat are more likely to suffer from serious injuries in case of an accident, even from a low speed collision. While convenience can be an issue for a few parents, it is an important point of car safety to have your child travel in a car seat. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, it is mandatory to use a car seat for your child until he/she is of age two. You must select a baby car seat according to your child’s height and weight and follow the instructions carefully in order to secure it completely. A car seat can also be fixed with baby seat belt. For making the seat belt more secure, you can even get a seat belt stabilizer. Also, remember to replace the car seat in case your family car has been in an accident.

Child lock

Most cars today are equipped with child lock systems in the rear doors. This enables the door to be opened from the outside but not from the inside. Also, nowadays, many cars have window locking facility as well. This will prevent your children from throwing things or leaning out of the window while you are busy driving. You can even install a car dash cam as it can be a crucial tool for not only ensuring road safety but also helping in insurance proceedings in case of a mishap.

Declutter your family car

This is one important aspect of car safety and to baby-proof your car. Keep empty drink bottles, loose shopping bags, receipts and even car-cleaning products away from your children as it can present a health or choking hazard.

Never leave your child in the car
This piece of advice needs to be followed strictly. Be it even for a minute, never keep your child alone in the car. It is much easier to unbuckle your child from the car seat than to let him suffer from serious hazards that heat can cause if the child is left unattended in the car. The child can even die of suffocation.

Additionally, there are other car accessories that you can install in your car in order to baby-proof it. Please note that by baby-proofing your car, you also equip yourself to concentrate on the road and drive better. This will eventually help you reduce chances of any accidents.

Baby-proofing your car is a simple process, yet it is very important that you do it. Apart from making your car safe for your children, you must also note the importance of getting insurance for your car. You can also choose the best options for car insurance from those offered by The Automobile Association of America (AAA or Triple A). Although the company is better known providing roadside assistance, it has a earned a reputation in the insurance industry as well. All these tips along with a few others will help you have a better control of the car with a child in the rear.

If you’re looking to buy a car to travel around with your child, here’s a list of top family vehicles and best minivans that you can consider:

• Chevrolet Traverse
• Ford Edge
• Honda CRV
• Honda Odyssey
• Dodge Grand Caravan
• Kia Sedona
• Toyota Sienna
• Chevrolet Equinox
• Subaru Outback
• Chrysler Specific