Are you planning to go on a car holiday with your family? A road trip is a fantastic opportunity to explore new idyllic places in the country and spend more time with the family. Here are five tips to help you and your child have a safe and enjoyable trip.
1. Check the installation of the car seat
Before you start you journey, always check the installation of the car seats. Studies show that more than 50% of all car seats are to some extent incorrectly installed, which can risk the child’s safety.
If you have a seat belt attached car seat, always make sure that the tether straps are tightly secured. If the straps are slightly loose, they must be tightened. With the Axkid Minikid though, this will never be an issue since it features self-tightening tether straps and can just be “wiggled” into place.
Any risk of incorrectly installed car seats is also eliminated by the unique and innovative rear-facing car seat Axkid ONE. Within 30 seconds you can easily and securely install the car seat with its 6 self-explanatory installation steps. And after that, just within a second, easy adapt it to children of all ages and sizes. (up to 125cm/23kg approx. 7 years of age)
2. Install your child safe and comfortable in the car seat
Even if it is a long drive or just around the corner it is essential for your child’s safety that the position of the child in the rear-facing car seat is correct. Check that the headrest is at the correct height and that the harness is tight to the child’s body and lays straight back over shoulders.
Also ensure that the car seat is in a comfortable position for your child. Today many car seats feature multiple reclining systems helping your child to achieve a comfortable position. Although Axkid ONE provides a step less reclining system, that we call Sleep Well System, giving you a lot of flexibility regarding your child’s comfort and position. From a safety point of view, the car seat should preferably be in as an upright position as possible for your child, the more upright the car seat is, the more the child’s neck is protected in the event of a collision. Exactly how much recline you should have differs depending on the child’s age and size, but a good benchmark for the recline, can be that your child is able to sleep in the car seat without their head falling forward to the chest.
3. Keep a good temperature in the car
Since smaller children and infants are more sensitive to heat stroke, it is important that the child remains cool. Sun protection for windows reduces solar radiation in the car and slows down heating. There are also some great products to be used in the hot car seat to reduce the risk of overheating such as a Summer cover or Cooling Pads. The Summer cover is just like it sounds, a cooler cover for the car seat to reduce the heat in the seat. The Cooling Pads, work differently and use a unique 3D technology to ensure that the child receives a constant air circulation. The Axkid Cooling Pads fit all Axkid Rear-facing car seats.
Today, there are even digital products on the market to ensure your child is extra safe in the car seat. The Safety pad, Axkid Connect helps you to stay close to your child and the safety pad alerts when the car temperature needs to be adjusted, when your child has been seated in the car seat for too long or if you by accident leave your child alone in the car.
4. Maintaining a clean seat (at least as clean as possible)
Dirt and stains are part of family life. Therefore, use a thick and padded seat protection to
avoid annoying stains and protect your car upholstery from wear and dirt. Many seat protectors are also equipped with a plastic pocket for iPads, which can be a good pastime when you are tired of your children asking for the hundred time “how long is left” 😉
Also do not forget an extra change of clothes for your child, can be good if (or when) the accident occurs. If you need to clean the car seat, read more about our tips for cleaning the car seat here.
5. Avoid car sickness
If your child experiences nausea and dizziness, it is important that your child sits as comfortably as possible and that they can see out of the window. A rear-facing car seat raises your child upwards in the car and also makes it possible for them to see out through the back window instead of staring into the front seat.
Some other great tips to avoid car sickness is to keep a good temperature in the car, avoid large meals right before travelling and try to help your child to not look down, for example a rear mirror could help your child to look up.
More tips for car sickness – have a look here
To all of you, take it easy on the roads, be patient when road tripping with children and have an amazing trip creating lovely memories together <3
#arrivesafe
