Protecting Your Child Passengers Properly in Your Woodville Area Volkswagen

Jul 10, 2013

Children need extra special protection when traveling in a vehicle. It is important they have the right restraints and proper positioning when riding in your Woodville area Volkswagen to ensure their safety and protection especially during an accident.

The typical protocol for child safety in a vehicle includes:

Infant Passengers

Infants need to be seated in a rear-facing car seat for at least one year or until they weigh at least 20 pounds. They should be in car safety seat that is suitable for their height and weight and should always be placed in the back of the vehicle.

Toddler-Aged Passengers

Toddlers should also be placed in a rear-facing child safety seat for as long as they can be comfortable based on their height and weight. Older toddlers over one year old and over 20 pounds should be in a safety seat that faces forward and contains a full harness seat belt system. Car seats should be used based on manufacturer’s height and weight allowances.

Older Child Passengers

Children who are older and no longer fit in a harness system child seat may still require a booster seat until they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall. The booster seat will work with the vehicle’s seat belt system but will help the child fit into it properly and safely. Children who are older and tall enough to go without a safety seat or booster should still remain in the backseat until they are at least 12 years old. The airbags in the front seat can cause serious injuries to younger passengers and the back seat is the safest place.

Always make sure your children are properly secured in your vehicle before driving. Even a short drive without being properly fastened into the vehicle can result in serious injuries and can result in law enforcement intervention. Drivers can be cited for not properly restraining passengers in a vehicle, especially small children.

Riding with children can be difficult especially if they are being distracting during the drive. It is important to only deal with children after pulling off to a safe location on the side of the road. There should also be visual inspections of seat belts and other safety equipment after each ride with child passengers. Damage to seat belts or other parts of the vehicle will need to be repaired by our Volkswagen service center near Woodville to ensure everything is working properly.