Do Virginia parents know how to protect their children during a crash?

Children are at risk for sustaining serious injuries in car accidents, as their small size can allow for movement if they are not properly secured.

What are the five rules regarding child safety in motor vehicles?

The first rule is to place infants and toddlers in the appropriate place and type of seat. An excellent resource to consult on this matter is a Car Safety Seat website sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The second rule is to make sure that children are restrained at all times. This is not so easy to achieve, because children do not like to be restrained, do not understand the purpose of it, and are perfectly capable of wiggling out of a safety belt as soon as you have stopped watching them.

The third rule is to place children aged 13 and under on the rear seats.

The fourth rule is that when a child older than 13 sits in the front seat:

• He or she must wear a lap and shoulder belt at all times;
• You must make sure that the child does not lean forward to fumble with the radio or CD player;
• You must move the front seat as far back as possible.

The fifth rule is to understand how airbags work. You never place an infant in a rear-facing seat in the front with an activated airbag. Many cars allow you to deactivate the passenger seat front airbag. Airbags deploy instantaneously in a crash, and deflate gradually afterwards. Side airbags protect the side of the body, head, chest, and pelvis in a side impact accident. Make sure that your child does not lean against the area where side airbags are stored.

The attorneys of Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas take your safety seriously. If you have been hurt in a Virginia car crash, please contact our Warrenton or Culpeper office today.