When it comes to cars and driving, safety should always be your first priority, especially when you are a parent. As one of the leading causes of death in the United States as well as the entire world, it is your responsibility to provide a safe driving environment for yourself, and especially for your children. The best way to do that is to educate yourself about all the potential hazards as best you can, so today we’re going to touch on a very important aspect concerning just that: a child’s car seat and how to use it.
So why does your little one need their own car seat? Simply put, it’s because a seat belt wasn’t designed to immobilize a child’s small frame in the event of an accident. With infants, it’s very important to note that the weight of their head isn’t proportional to the weight of the rest of their bodies the same way that it is with adults. In other words, their heads are much heavier and account for 25% of their entire body mass, and because mass x acceleration = force, this means that their heads can tilt forward too much and cause serious injury in the event of an accident.
A car seat prevents this, and secures your child further in the following ways:
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- A five-point harness stabilizes your little one’s entire frame
- The cushions absorb any additional impact in order to prevent trauma
- The tether immobilizes the seat and prevents it from toppling over
A simple mechanism, but very effective if used correctly. We highly recommend you also check out the infographic from our friends at ParentingPod if you want to get super detailed about how a car seat works, and how to set it up for optimum efficiency and safety.
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