Children are always vulnerable. It is true even at home. It’s true in the school, in the playground, on the beach and even in the car while travelling with parents. Certainly none of us wants to be involved in an accident and more so if we are travelling with a child. But not many of us are serious enough about our own safety that we could spare a thought for the safety of the children with us. Perhaps we lack the discipline that could help us remain safe on the roads. Many of our actions on the road are dangerous although instinctively we know they are wrong. It’s not that only driving on the road involves an element of risk. As statistics show, driving a car, riding a motorcycle or bicycle or even crossing the road as a pedestrian involves a higher than average degree of risk and even while travelling in a car you are at a risk.

In the event of an accident those in the car, whether in the front or the rear seat, are thrown forward against the dash-board. And if it is a child, the consequences could be really serious. A child on the front seat of the car could even crash out of the wind-screen. A child travelling in the rear of the car is also at an equal risk. The opinion is divided on whether a child in the front or in the rear is at a greater risk. However a unrestrained child is at equal risk both in the front and at the rear. It is impossible to predict the course of an accident.

In our country the concept of seat belts or restraining oneself while driving or riding in a car has still not caught up. The Motor Vehicle Act 1989, does require motorists to use seat belts as a safety precaution and seat belts are in fact now provided in all cars as a mandatory accessory. However neither the act is rigorously enforced nor the motorists give the required attention to this very important safety feature. In many countries, it is compulsory by law to wear seat belts when travelling by car, both in the rear and front seats.

You cannot predict the course of an accident, the forces it can create and the way an individual reacts to the dynamics of an accident. The Parliamentary Advisory Committee for Transport Safety of Britain, in a study some years back, pointed out that in the event of an accident, an unrestrained child in a car travelling at 25 mph may crash head first towards the front of the car, with a force that is equivalent to it being dropped from a second floor window.

Some parents are of the opinion that an unrestrained child in the rear seat held by a belted adult is protected. Nothing can be farther from the truth. The belted adult may not be able to hold on to the unrestrained child in the event of an accident. The forces generated by an accident may cause a normal child to weigh 30 times its own weight. It would be difficult for any adult to hold on to the child safely in such a situation. Plus, the child can be crushed and killed or seriously injured by coming in between the restrained adult and the back of the front seat. Never use one seat belt to restrain yourself and the child in your lap. The child can be squashed between you and the belt.

An unrestrained child in the front seat is equally prone to danger. The safest bet for a child would be to travel with a seat belt on, in the rear. But is much safer for a child to travel restrained in the front than unrestrained in the back. An unrestrained child in the front seat can also be a distraction while driving. The child could suddenly touch the car controls and this could result in a serious accident.

Infants and children have relatively fragile skulls and heavy heads. In an accident it is always head first towards the front of the car. Thus even in low speed accidents, children are likely to suffer serious head injuries due to the uneven proportion of their body. Also, in case the car is suddenly braked, the possibility of an injury to an unrestrained child, either in the front or rear of the vehicle cannot be ruled out. At times, these apparently minor mishaps cause serious head injuries leading to severe brain damage. The safety belt prevents this from happening.

Another important aspect of child safety in a car, is to restrict the movement of children in a moving car. It is for the driver’s benefit as well as children. Never let a child stand on the floor or the seat while the car is moving. A sudden jolt or stop can cause serious injuries. Don’t allow a child to put a hand out of the window. This besides being dangerous for the child can also cause other drivers to think that you are signaling and can lead to an accident.

It is a good practice to never leave a child alone in a parked car and certainly not in the front seat. They could handle clutches, gears and ignition and even unwittingly start the car leading to tragic consequences. There is always a danger that children will fiddle with door locks in cars so it is a good practice to have the central locking facility for doors and windows.

In Britain, all front seat passengers (adult and children alike) are required to wear seat belts. Seat belts are a mandatory accessory in cars in Britain since 1965. According to an estimate nearly 500 lives are saved and 1500 serious injuries avoided every year in Britain due to the compulsory usage of seat belts.

In our country the usual refrain about not using a seat belt or a restraint for children is that the child does not want to be restrained. But is it true? The children do not find even adults wearing a seat belt in the car and so the resistance from the child. However this problem can be overcome very easily. Start the use of the seat belts at an early stage of the child’s life and set a good example by using the seat belt yourself. Children are active and want to explore and investigate rather than be restrained. But gradually they grow out of it and it becomes second nature to put on a seat belt while travelling in the car.

1. Never carry a child on your lap in the front or on the rear seat.
2. Never put a seat belt around your child and yourself.
3. Never put children in the luggage space and make sure all luggage is properly tied up. In the event of an accident any loose package can fly across like a projectile and hurt someone.
4. Never let a child stand on the floor of the car.
5. Never leave your child unattended in the car – even for a short while.
6. Don’t leave cigarette lighters and matches around in the car. They can cause painful burns if children get hold of them and they can also set the car on fire.
7. Use the central locking system for doors and windows of the car.
8. Always fasten children in their seats and wear you seat belt.