Keeping a child safe in a car is of the utmost importance, but what are the most essential auto features for child safety? For younger children, the secure fitting of a child restraint is the number one priority. If a child’s seat is not properly secured in a car, catastrophic injuries could be caused in an accident, not only to the child but also to other passengers. Safety experts have campaigned for better anchors and fixing points for child restraints in cars and this has led to manufacturers providing them. In the US, there is the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system while in Europe the ISOFIX system is encouraged. These systems allow for a child seat to be firmly fixed in a car and offer much more protection than simply using a seat belt to keep a child seat in place. However, it must be said that some of these systems are easier to use than others, depending on their positioning in a car. Always check for ease of use before buying or renting a car. Before fitting the child restraint, ensure that the seat it will sit on is suitable – there should be information about this in the car owner’s handbook. And remember particular child seats may be recommended for specific cars. Makers of cars and child restraints have both been improving designs, with one of the key efforts being focused on preventing the rotation of a child restraint during an accident. The improvements mean a child is less likely to hit part of the car’s interior and will also be subject to reduced forces as the restraint system responds to sudden braking or a crash. It is important that the instructions for fitting a child restraint to the anchor points are clear and well presented, so car manufacturers are increasingly being urged to ensure clarity in their advice to parents. Make sure you understand the fitting procedure and be certain to attach all the required tethers. Also bear in mind any airbag warning labels. You must never put a rear-facing child restraint on a front seat with an active airbag. For maximum protection, young children should be placed in the back seat in a rear-facing child restraint with a snugly fitting harness. Later they can progress to a forward-facing child seat and subsequently to a securely attached booster seat and a properly fitting seat belt. Another essential auto feature for child safety involves electric-powered windows. Many cars now have a facility to lock the windows shut so that little fingers cannot play with the window buttons and end up getting trapped as a window closes. The designers of some newer cars have taken the safety feature forward another step. Now, if the locking facility is not in use, a closing window will automatically go into reverse if it meets any resistance. This means a child’s head or limbs will not get caught in the window. One other simple and essential device is the child safety lock on a door. Make sure this is deployed so that a child cannot suddenly decide to open a door as you are traveling along. Children are inquisitive and you can guarantee at some point that they will want to find out what happens if they open a door on a car while it is moving. Take action to stop this potentially dangerous situation from arising – put the child safety lock on. These are the most essential auto features for child safety. Keep your child safe and enjoy the journey. Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society