Whether you’re doing the weekly food shop or driving the family to your favourite holiday destination, when you’re looking after little ones, we know you want to do everything you can to keep them safe.
We’ve rounded up our top safety measures to ensure your kids stay safe on every journey.
Always abide by the law
In the UK, the law requires that all children travelling in cars use the correct child restraints until they reach 12 years old or 135cm in height, whichever comes first.*
Only EU-approved, weight-based child car seats can be used in the UK, so it’s important to look out for the capital E inside a circle and ‘ECE R44’ when buying your baby car seat.
These rules are designed to keep all road users and passengers safe, so always make sure you follow them. Plus, if you’re caught using an unsuitable or incorrectly fitted car seat, you could face a £500 fine!
Pick the right car seat
Ensuring your child is travelling in the correct car seat is crucial for their safety in the event of a collision. With so much information out there, choosing the right seat can feel overwhelming.
At Halfords, we’re here to cut through the confusion with our free 30-minute Child Seat Consultation, available to book at your local Halfords store. During the consultation, one of our experts will guide you through the best car seat options for your child and even demonstrate how to fit it in your car.
Never leave your child alone
It might be tempting to run back into the shop because you forgot the milk during the weekly food shop, avoiding the hassle of getting your child out of the car, but it’s important to remember that wherever you go, your little one should go too.
Even if you think your child is strapped in safely, they could wriggle out, escape, and begin pressing buttons in the car. While most features are disabled when the car is switched off, children still run the risk of unlocking the car from the inside, setting off the alarm, or even disabling the handbrake.
Switch on child safety locks
Child safety locks help prevent your child from opening the door while the car is moving or stationary. Most modern cars have safety locks, usually located on the inside of the car door and easy to operate by flicking a switch. If you’re struggling to find your child safety lock, check your car’s manual. By keeping your child locks on, you’ll always be in control of when the doors open and close giving you extra peace of mind.
Remove coats and blankets
We know you don’t want your child to be cold in winter, but it’s important not to strap your child into their car seat while they’re wearing bulky coats or thick layers. Remove any coats or fleeces that may increase the distance between your child’s body and the harness strap. Essentially, you want the harness straps to be as close to your child’s body as possible to keep them safe. To keep them warm in the car, pop the heaters on instead.
Lock your rear windows
On long journeys, children can get bored and start looking for things to distract themselves, like pressing buttons or playing with the windows. Your child should always stay safely inside the car, with their arms and head well away from open windows. To keep little fingers safe, make sure to activate the window locks.
If the weather is warm, you can roll down the front windows, open the sunroof if you have one, or turn on the air conditioning. If you haven’t used your air conditioning recently, why not book a free Air Con Check at your local Halfords garage?
Use a baby-on-board sign
In the event of a collision emergency services will quickly be able to identify if you’ve got a child in the car with a handy baby-on-board sign. If emergency services are able to identify a child quickly, then they are much more likely to receive the emergency help that they might need.
No food policy
If you’ve got little children, it might be tempting to keep them quiet with a snack. While food is an excellent idea on long journeys, if you’re driving down bumpy or windy roads, food quickly becomes a choking hazard. Instead, plan some pit stops to ensure everyone can safely enjoy a bite to eat! Investing in a Halfords Backseat Baby Mirror is also a great way to keep an eye on your baby while you’re driving.
Keep your car in tip-top condition
Another way to keep little passengers safe is to make sure your car is in the best condition possible. Regularly check your tyres for tread depth and pressure, keep your washer fluid topped up, and check your bulbs. Here at Halfords, you can book a 30 Point Car Safety Inspection at your local Halfords garage, where one of our experts will check your exhaust, brakes, steering, and more to identify any potential safety issues.
Don’t forget, a little preparation goes a long way in making every trip a safe one for you and your family, so be sure to keep these top tips in mind before you head out on your next trip!
*In the ROI all children under 150cm in height or 36kg in weight must use a child car seat.
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