Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Road safety
At Direct Line we take child safety very seriously. If you take out breakdown cover we’ll get you moving very quickly indeed and if you’re in a vulnerable position – say with a child – we’ll prioritise your call without question. But it’s clearly better for everyone if there’s no accident in the first place, and this is never truer than when children are involved.
Numerous things are possible to make sure that the younger passenger is safe. When they are babies, for example, you’ll need a car seat – many hospitals refuse to let you take them home without one. Choosing the right seat is essential. You need to consider whether the car seat is:
Correct installation is less obvious than you might think. What looks right isn’t necessarily the correct way to install the seat. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and if you haven’t got them, call the manufacturer or download them from their website. When it comes to choosing the right seat, remember to look for the safety standard ECE R44.03, which is the United Nations regulation to which all UK car seats must conform. But if you already have a car seat that conforms to the older R44 British standard, you can continue to use it. Also, look for child seats with ISOFIX fitting points, the International Standards Organisation standard on ease of installation. Not all cars have ISOFIX fixing points, so check with your manufacturer. Don’t use second-hand child safety equipment – you don’t know how safe it is.
Your legal obligations about child seats are outlined at the Child Car Seats website – see www.childcarseats.org.uk/law for details. Essentially the driver is responsible for seeing that everyone under the age of 14 is suitably restrained. Up to the age of 3 you are obliged to put them in a car seat, and between 3-11 you can use your own judgement once they reach 1.5 metres in height. Aged 12 and beyond they must use a seat belt.
It is vital not to use a rear-facing seat in the front of a car if the passenger seat is fitted with an air bag unless yours is one of those cars whose passenger air bag can be deactivated by the ignition switch.
Child safety on the road is not all about car seats. It is important to bear in mind what happens when you break down, particularly on the motorway. The Highway code (www.highwaycode.gov.uk) advises that all passengers should exit the car on the left-hand side of the vehicle, and that children must be kept under control.
If you do breakdown on the motorway, then Direct Line’s Breakdown Cover can offer you peace of mind. We prioritise vulnerable callers, so, for instance, if you’re a lady alone with children we will get to you as quickly as we can. Our breakdown hotline can be reached on 0800 590 590.
Your choice of car is also important. Make sure your car has child locks so well-intentioned children can’t let themselves out of a vehicle before you’re ready to supervise them. Check manufacturers’ websites as well; if their vehicle has won an award for safety they’ll probably flaunt it, but bear in mind that an unsafe car wouldn’t get as far as the road. It’s also essential to check that your car is roadworthy – never miss that MOT test or service.
Comfort is important as well as safety. On a long journey your child might be exposed to the sun in the back seat and they’ll have more sensitive skin than an adult. A sun hat and preferably a filter to block out the worst of the rays is useful – be prepared to stick this filter back on the window frequently after children have pulled it off! Sunglasses can also help a child remain comfortable during a long journey. Remember, if you have music on, speakers in the back door will sound much louder to someone sitting next to it so keep the volume at a sensible level. Children get hungry and thirsty on journeys, so don’t set off without a stock of snacks and soft drinks.
All in all, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Take a few moments to check out the Child Accident Prevention Trust website (www.capt.org.uk).
|
