Remember these important things when driving with your baby
Are you a new mom? Here are some important things to keep in mind when driving with your baby for the first time.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the many firsts that come with being a new mom? You have yourself to worry about one minute and then your days are consumed by what seems like never-ending nappy changes, nighttime struggles, feeding, bath time, and, for working moms, the challenges of balancing work with your new family obligations.
While it’s important to spend quality time with your baby as a new mom, it’s also critical to get out of the house. This presents its own set of difficulties, including packing everything you need, could need, and more, as well as keeping your infant safe in the car.
It’s critical to think about all of the necessary safety precautions to keep your newborn safe while on the road. It’s crucial to properly strap your baby into the car seat and make sure it’s a weight and height-appropriate car seat.
Niki Cronje, Imperial’s Group Marketing Manager, offers the following advice:
Which car seat should you choose?
- Group 0 seats are for babies weighing up to 9kg, while Group 0+ seats are for babies weighing up to 13kg. They are usually equipped with a three-point harness and a plastic buckle.
- Always install a baby seat in the rear-facing position, as your baby could be hit by an airbag in the event of a collision.
- Do not wrap your baby in a blanket when in a car seat. Instead, drape a blanket over the entire seat, as a blanket inside the harness is likely to loosen it, increasing the risk of injury.
- Once your baby is in their car seat, don’t turn around to check on them because it will distract you from the road.
In addition to a car seat, it’s critical that you feel safe as the driver of the vehicle. There are a variety of technologies that will allow you to adopt safer driving habits, which will help to reduce the likelihood of crime-related incidents and vehicle crashes.
In light of this, Matrix, a MiX Telematics brand, offers a few key considerations…
Technology to assist you in adopting safer driving habits
- Geo-fencing: You can define and draw your own virtual perimetre around any important zones, and you’ll be notified when your vehicle enters or exits the area. You can also set up a geo-fence around potentially dangerous areas. This can help keep you and your family out of potentially dangerous or high-crime areas.
- GPS Pinpoint technology: This allows you or any member of your family to use a smartphone or computer to view the exact location of your vehicle on a map. If you’re in any kind of danger, GPS pinpoint positioning allows emergency medical and roadside assistance to be dispatched to your vehicle’s exact location.
- Roadside and medical assistance: Roadside and medical assistance can be dispatched to your exact location in the event of an emergency. Trained personnel will assess your situation and send the necessary emergency assistance if you press your panic button remote or call the control room.
