Vehicle Safety for New Parents

Becoming a parent can be exciting and beautiful, but it also can be scary and challenging as well. The most challenging experience for me as a new parent was putting my newborn into the car seat and my husband driving us home from the hospital. That was one of the longest rides of my life though we were only 15 minutes from home.  There are plenty of tips to consider when driving with little ones in the car. Here are some tips based on experience of being a mom of 3 children:

1. Be sure that car seats and booster seats meet state requirements and that you follow state rules for age and weight.

2. Be sure to follow the car seat/booster seat instructions properly in order for the product to work effectively and protect your baby.

3. Make sure you minimize all distractions. Even in the beginning you may want to axe the playing of any music, until you are comfortable driving with your new little one.

4. Keep your cellphone in your purse or in the glove box.

5. New parents tend to lose a lot of sleep in the beginning. Make sure you are fully alert before heading out the door with your little one. If you are too tired, it's a good idea to put off errands or postpone appointments, etc.

6.Never leave your baby alone in the car, even if you are just headed inside for a moment.

7. Never leave a car running with a baby inside.

8. After buckling up your baby properly, don't forget to buckle yourself up as well!