Baby Safety – Car Seats and Travel

• 5 Car Seat Buying Tips: What to do before and after choosing a car seat to ensure your baby stays safe.
• Top 10 Car Seat Mistakes: The most common car seat installation and safety slip-ups that can easily be avoided.
• 7 Common Driving Mistakes Parents Make: Even the safest drivers can have some dangerous habits – how to be a better parent-driver.

Baby Safety – Car Safety Basics

• Take care of any necessary car maintenance before your trip, and make sure your car’s fully stocked with tools like jumper cables, a car jack and spare tire.
• Buy hand sanitizer and travel sanitizing wipes to clean germ-infested surfaces your baby or changing pad may touch.
• Keep all milk and refrigerated snacks in a travel cooler.
• Stash pacifiers in the front seat to avoid the one-handed backseat search while driving.
• Dangling toys on rings or attachable car seat toys can be convenient and entertaining for your little one, but keep in mind that an accident can turn them into dangerous projectiles. For long car trips, eliminate as much detachable add-ons as possible.
• One add-on you might not be able to nix is the backseat mirror to keep an eye on rear-facing babies. We like this one from Safety 1st because it’s made of completely soft materials.
• Install a transparent sunshade on windows to protect your baby’s eyes and skin from UV rays. A static-cling shade is a safer choice than ones with suction cups, which can detach and become projectile in an accident.
• For long trips, consider using disposable bibs, sippy cups and utensils so you don’t have to worry about storing and cleaning dirty dishes.
• Pack a map (or GPS unit), food, water, medical supplies, and a flashlight or battery-operated nightlight in case you get lost or stranded.
• For older babies, bring along an abundance of toys and books to reduce the stress levels. A portable DVD-player can be a real sanity saver.