Driving down the road when everything is going fine is a beautiful feeling. Sometimes, though, something goes wrong. Cars today are carefully manufactured for safety, with features that older vehicles lack. In addition to seat belts, a new car can have various air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, and a host of accident-avoidance systems. Every new model has been carefully designed for safety and for more information on safety features of cars it is a good idea to read the manual of yours. It isn’t going to help you to know about how safe other people’s cars are; you need to know how safe YOUR car is.
Maintaining current safety knowledge is especially important when it comes to children. A small child’s body requires specific safety precautions that vary according to the size and age of the child. Many parents fail to keep up with those changing needs because they have so much to do in other areas but in a major accident it can mean the difference between a frightened child, a disabled child, or death. There is an excellent child safety information site at http://www.safercar.gov/parents/index.htm. This site will help you with everything from the wisest car seats the age of your baby to determining when your teen is ready to drive. There are topics like the prevention of heatstroke death (take the kid out of the car when you park it!), avoiding backover and more. This site is run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and updated regularly; you will want to bookmark it.
There will be times when, despite all precautions, emergencies arise. This is when having a vehicle safety kit gives an extra-beautiful feeling to a potentially dangerous situation. It is not difficult to compile your own kit and keep it in your car or truck. The inflated spare tire already has a spot in the vehicle, the rest can easily fit in a duffle bag and become part of your standard equipment. Many will think they only need the items in the winter, but this is wrong. Breakdowns occur all year long. It makes sense to personalize your own vehicle safety kit for your family and keep it current. A single bottle of water is not enough for a family of six…and if there are children in diapers you will appreciate an emergency stash. Some parents choose to have one of the one-size-fits-all cloth diapers for maximum flexibility. Others might want a hand-crank/solar charger to keep all the devices charged.
About the author
Bill Hartzer is a freelance writer based in Texas, and writes for www.i-go-cars.com.