When you have precious cargo in your vehicle, you want to make sure you’re taking steps to keep everyone as safe as possible. Unfortunately, that’s not always as easy as it sounds. As a new parent, you may feel overwhelmed with all the information that comes your way. To stay safer in the car with your baby – please follow these safety tips: 

Check the baby’s car seat to be sure it works in your car 

Not all car seats are compatible with all vehicles. Well before the time comes for the baby to arrive, you need to test the car seat in your vehicle – including whether it will fit with any seats you may already have in the vehicle. If you can’t get a snug fit in your seat that puts your baby at the right angle, you may need to use a different seat. Avoid using aftermarket parts to “make the seat work,” since they may compress unexpectedly in an accident and lead to serious injury. And speaking of aftermarket parts… 

Avoid adding “extras” to your car seat  

While toys attached to the car seat are fine (and actually offer a great way to prevent dropped toys, crying babies and an increased accident risk when you reach back to grab the dropped toy), other extras can pose serious risks to your baby. Those cute strap covers, for example, may look much cozier, but they can also prevent the straps from holding your baby securely in an accident. If it doesn’t come directly from the manufacturer, never put an item between your baby and the car seat or straps.  

Never put baby in puffy sleepers or coats in the car seat 

Puffy coats are often a point of contention for parents in colder climates – or on those cold mornings when you have to get up and move earlier than you’d like. While you want your child to be warm, those puffy coats can compress considerably in an accident and prevent the straps of the car seat from holding your little one in place properly. Instead, try putting your little one in the car seat, then putting the coat on backwards over the car seat straps. You could also use a car seat blanket to help keep the baby warm and cozy, just make sure it goes over and not under the car seat straps. 

Do your best to make your baby happy before you get behind the wheel 

Take care of feeding, changing and other necessary tasks before you start driving. An unhappy baby can mean a distracted parent – and that can portend disaster behind the wheel.  

Do not try to feed the baby, reach back to grab toys, or engage in other tasks while driving 

Distracted driving can result in accidents with serious injuries, and infants can pose a potent distraction for many parents, especially if they get fussy. However, when driving, you need to focus all your attention on driving. If you need to care for your baby, move off the road and safely park the car first – then go ahead to do whatever needs to be done.  

Avoid driving when you’re excessively tired 

Sleep can be hard to come by in those infant days, when your little one often needs you in the middle of the night. It’s all too easy to jump behind the wheel regardless of whether or not you’re too tired to take on this task safely. Drowsy driving however, can have many of the same symptoms as driving while intoxicated, including weaving on the road, failure to see other vehicles around you, and even increased risk-taking of all sorts. You don’t want to take that risk with a baby in the car. Instead, postpone the trip entirely or call a friend or family member to help out if you really need to embark on said trip.  

Drive defensively 

Pay attention to everyone around you. Allow other drivers to have right of way, even if it’s not necessarily their turn. Work on accident avoidance. While liability may matter in an accident, the last thing you want is for your baby to suffer a serious injury because another driver made an error. Consider learning defensive driving techniques while you’re expecting so that you can be better prepared to keep the baby safe when he or she arrives.  

Avoid unnecessary distractions behind the wheel 

Having your baby in your vehicle can pose a potent enough distraction all on its own. Any additional distractions could prevent you from focusing adequately while you’re driving. Silence your cell phone before you get in the car, avoid eating and drinking while on the road and simply focus on driving. Keeping your attention on driving alone can be the critical difference between having an accident and arriving safely at your destination.  

Please avoid driving with a baby on your lap 

Please invest in a car seat and avoid driving with a baby on your lap. It is ill-advised to do so and it can go wrong in more ways than one. Once again, please do the needful – invest in a car seat for your baby.  

Keeping a baby safe in the car is a big job and sometimes, other drivers may not exercise the same caution around you and your unbridled bundle of joy – so it’s up to you to do your possible best to ensure the safety of your child.