You’ve welcomed a new baby into the world and it changes every facet of your life. Some of the ways it changes you are obvious while others aren’t well-known until you meet them square in the face. One thing many parents don’t understand before they have a baby is how to drive with them in the car. You must learn how to do this for the good of your child’s health and safety – but what are some essential things to know about driving with your baby?
Aside from obvious things – like driving slowly and carefully – we’ve identified three top tips to help you when driving with your little one:
Be Sure They’re In The Correct Car Seat
Babies need to be in a rear-facing car seat from their birth until they’re about 1-3 years old depending on how big they are. You’ll find some excellent and easy-to-read guidelines on car seats and booster seats that teach you the type of car seat your baby needs depending on their age and the car you drive. Having them in the correct seat is essential to keep them as safe as possible. As a general rule, the younger and smaller the child is, the more support they need from a car seat.
Place Their Car Seat In The Back Of The Car
You’ll see lots of parents driving around with a baby in the front passenger seat of the car. They’re in a big rear-facing car seat and the parent puts them there as it keeps their baby close to them.
Never do this! Putting a rear-facing car seat in the front passenger seat is dangerous because of the airbags there. In fact, the front seats are the least safe seats of any in your car – so it’s a horrible place to put your baby, period.
They should always be in the back of your car with their car seat. If you can, put your baby in the middle-rear seat. This is the safest place someone can sit in the car as they’re less likely to feel the full force of an impact from any direction. Some cars don’t have a proper rear-middle seat or lack the connectivity to install a baby seat there – in which case, put them in the rear seat behind the passenger as it’s the second-best place for a child to sit.
Bring Someone Else With You On Long Drives
Driving with your baby can be anxiety-inducing, particularly if they start crying. This can be hugely distracting, which isn’t a problem on short drives as you know you can park up quickly and tend to them. On longer drives, you can get super distracted and take your eyes off the road for valuable seconds. This could result in a careless driving charge if an officer sees you looking behind you, or you cause an accident.
While we’re sure you could fight this charge with the right legal representation, a better option is to avoid it altogether. Bring someone else with you on long drives so they can sit in the back and keep an eye on the baby for you. Or, get them to drive while you tend to the baby instead.
Knowing these tips is the first step in keeping your baby safe while driving. Of course, you must drive safely at all times and be extra cautious when you’ve got a little one in the back seat.
