We buy the safest cars, invest in airbags, rear view cameras and top-rated tires, but maybe the most dangerous thing in your car is your child’s car seat.
Wait–what?
Yes. The car seat. It turns out that 75% of all car seats are installed wrong or are the wrong seat for the child. But, this week will change that: it’s Child Passenger Safety Week, and on Saturday, September 20th, there will be events all around the country to help parents and care givers to know that their precious cargo is as safely strapped in as possible.
And while you’re at it, it’s a great time to check out the rest of your car and make sure it’s ready for all the round trips to school and football, the leaf-peeping trip upstate and the trek to Grandma’s house at Thanksgiving.
- Check the tread and air pressure in your tires; do you know what the pressure should be? And what tread depth is safe? You can find out here
- Inspect your car battery; if it looks dirty or corroded, have it cleaned
- Have your brakes, oil and fluids inspected
- Check your windshield wipers–are they in good condition?
- Know what to do if your car breaks down
- If you’re struggling to install your kid’s car seat properly, Britax just introduced an easy fix
Then, is your car ready in case of an emergency? We recommend keeping the following in your car, especially if you are going on a road trip:
- Flashlight
- Leatherman
- Jumper Cables
- Emergency Cash
- Roadside emergency kit
Win A Britax Car Seat and Travel Cart!
AGirlsGuidetoCars has teamed up with StressFreeBaby for our September 15th #A Girls Guide to Cars and #TMOM Twitter party; we’ll share tips on car seat safety and ways to stay safe on your the road with kids.
WHEN: September 15th, 9-10 pm ET (8-9 pm CT; 7-8 pm MT; 6-7 pm PT)
WHO: Panelists @AGirlsGuidetoCars @TravelingMoms @meaganshamy @desireemiller @scottyreiss @fadranally @nicolewakelin @judy511 @KimOrlando @DebMomOf3 @CindyRichards @anujadesilva @solomomtravel @kidsunplugged @TripsWithTykes @lottabaggage
Read more at http://www.travelingmom.com/traveling-with-toddlers/#tif6DUxlYWVmcAfk.99
WHAT: Twitter party – Staying Safe On The Road with Kids
HOW: Enter to win in the Rafflecopter widget below, then follow our hashtags #AGirlsGuidetoCars #TMOM and join the conversation on Monday night
PRIZES:
Britax Advocate Convertible Car Seat (retail $379.99 )
- HUGS Chest Pads with SafeCell Technology are affixed to the seat shell to ensure proper positioning while SafeCells compress to manage energy and provide resistance to the forward movement of your child in a crash, reducing the risk of head injury.
- Base with SafeCell Technology features SafeCells designed to compress in a crash, significantly lowering the center of gravity and counteracting the forward rotation of the child seat which normally propels the child toward the front seat.
Britax Car Seat Travel Cart (retail $79.99 )
- Attachment using the car seat’s LATCH connectors for quick and simple use
- Folds to stow in small spaces including most airplane overhead compartments
