Matrix knows that road travel is a risky business but with the know-how it becomes a little bit easier to travel safely and protect that precious cargo you’ve taken along for the drive. While all the warnings and rules of the road govern our driving behavior, sometimes it’s just not as simple as stopping at the red light. The parental evolution to 360° vision is no luxury in road travel; it’s a necessity in the same category as seat belts, car seats, secured toys and temperature control. All these risks have been widely publicized and large scale educational campaigns have been implemented to educate and caution parents. So in the naughty corner we have;
- Travelling without an age appropriate car seat/booster seat
- Seatbelts not being worn by all travelers
- Toys not secured before travel
- Insufficient liquids and meals for the trip
- Toddlers left alone in a vehicle
Those are five piggy’s to remember when you go to the market and you’ll be sure to avoid the crying all the way home. When you arrive at the market, check your checklist because ‘fatal distraction’ is the real deal and it will haunt you forever.
Children cannot escape a locked vehicle and with children’s temperatures rising 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s, the potential of brain damage could easily become a reality. Hyperthermia is not the only risk to an unattended child in a motor vehicle; if the car is stolen the child may be abducted, fumes from the vehicle can cause serious illness and the child can accidentally place the car in gear and cause an accident.
Child safety and cars is more than vigilance and the right car seat, a car is a machine and your toddler doesn’t have an operating license, not even to roll down the window. In the U.S. reports of electric windows seriously injuring thousands of children has communities up in arms. The window lock is just as important as the safety belt lock; click, click for peace of mind.
Nothing is fail-safe so before you close the windows check to see that there are no obstructions and teach your children the dangers of electric windows; not to stand, lean or touch anything near the armrest.
While the wheels go round and round, make memories that you can cherish and let the journey be what great memories are made of. Pack some books on CD’s; take a refresher course down the yellow brick road or spread the family love with Barney and friends, just keep your eye on the road and bums in seats.