The link below is to an article in Yahoo News about a 5 year-old who crashed his van into his house and other property.
Yes - a 5-year old!
His mother was taking him skating and forgot the skates so she left the car running with him in it and when back into the house to get them. He got out of his car seat, moved into the driver's seat and put the car in reverse.
Fortunately, he wasn't hurt and the damage was minor but the story could have ended in any number of really terrible scenarios.
When will some parents learn that you NEVER leave a child alone in a running vehicle?
Showing posts with label parenting teen drivers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting teen drivers. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Seatbelts Save Lives! Are You Sure Your Teen is Wearing One?
The #1 thing that turns a car crash into a fatal crash is that the victims were not wearing seatbelts, and tragically, a lot of those victims are teens.
I've talked to many parents who've lost their sons and daughters in crashes. In too many cases, the teens were thrown from the car and sustained fatal injuries because they weren't wearing their seatbelts. This is particularly tragic because their parents insisted that they ALWAYS WORE their seatbelts. So why did they undo them or leave them undone on that particular day?
Sometimes there were distractions that diverted their attention and they forgot.
Sometimes they were uncomfortable and wanted to relax without the restriction.
Sometimes they didn’t bother because they were only going a short distance.
Sometimes the car was overloaded so there weren't enough belts for all the passengers.
Sometimes it may have been peer pressure because no one else was wearing one either.
Every parent needs to make their teens understand that there are no excuses. They must wear their seatbelts every time they get in the car and make sure everyone else in the car does too.
And if they say that if someone in the car refuses to wear his belt – “that’s his problem” – they’re wrong! It’s the problem of every other passenger in the car too!
In a collision, any unbelted person becomes a pinball that bounces around inside the vehicle. That ‘pinball’ can smash into any other passenger causing brain damage or even death. Really!
Rules for seatbelt use
· Every passenger must wear a seatbelt including lap belt and shoulder harness
· 1 seatbelt per person (no lap-sitting or doubling up)
· If you have more people than seatbelts, make 2 trips or use 2 vehicles
· Never let anyone ride in the trunk or on the floor.
· Seats must be upright. Seatbelts will not protect the wearer when the seat is reclined.
Make it a habit to do a ‘seatbelt check’ every time you get in the car. Have each passenger check that their belt is secure and that the people beside them have buckled up too.
The statistics are scary. One in ten teens will be involved in a crash during their first year driving. Don’t let that crash be a fatal crash. Make sure your teens perform a seatbelt check every time they get in the car.
This video is graphic but it makes the point.
I've talked to many parents who've lost their sons and daughters in crashes. In too many cases, the teens were thrown from the car and sustained fatal injuries because they weren't wearing their seatbelts. This is particularly tragic because their parents insisted that they ALWAYS WORE their seatbelts. So why did they undo them or leave them undone on that particular day?
Sometimes there were distractions that diverted their attention and they forgot.
Sometimes they were uncomfortable and wanted to relax without the restriction.
Sometimes they didn’t bother because they were only going a short distance.
Sometimes the car was overloaded so there weren't enough belts for all the passengers.
Sometimes it may have been peer pressure because no one else was wearing one either.
Every parent needs to make their teens understand that there are no excuses. They must wear their seatbelts every time they get in the car and make sure everyone else in the car does too.
And if they say that if someone in the car refuses to wear his belt – “that’s his problem” – they’re wrong! It’s the problem of every other passenger in the car too!
In a collision, any unbelted person becomes a pinball that bounces around inside the vehicle. That ‘pinball’ can smash into any other passenger causing brain damage or even death. Really!
Rules for seatbelt use
· Every passenger must wear a seatbelt including lap belt and shoulder harness
· 1 seatbelt per person (no lap-sitting or doubling up)
· If you have more people than seatbelts, make 2 trips or use 2 vehicles
· Never let anyone ride in the trunk or on the floor.
· Seats must be upright. Seatbelts will not protect the wearer when the seat is reclined.
Make it a habit to do a ‘seatbelt check’ every time you get in the car. Have each passenger check that their belt is secure and that the people beside them have buckled up too.
The statistics are scary. One in ten teens will be involved in a crash during their first year driving. Don’t let that crash be a fatal crash. Make sure your teens perform a seatbelt check every time they get in the car.
This video is graphic but it makes the point.
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