All about transporting children by car
Many people think that carrying a child in a car primarily means arriving at their destination without being bored with crying, complaining and requests. In reality, the password must always and in any case be safety. Without this compromising in any way the serenity on board, on the contrary: respecting the rules will help parents and children to enjoy the journey better.
Transporting children by car: the first 3 rules to do it safely
Rule number 1 - Approved child seats
The transport of children in the car must take place with approved restraint systems that respect the parameters of weight and height. The obligation of car seats is foreseen up to 12 years and in any case up to one meter and fifty.
The devices are approved according to European regulations and divided into groups, based on weight or height.
Weight:
GROUP 0 (up to 10 kg and about 12 months)
GROUP 0+ (up to 13 kg, from birth to approximately 18 months).
GROUP 1 (9-18 kg, from about 9 months to 4 years)
GROUP 2 (15-25 Kg, from 3 to 6 years approximately)
GROUP 3 (22-36, from 6 to 12 years approximately)
Height:
The legislation, better known as i-Size, has introduced the obligation of the backrest for all car seats for children under 125 cm in height and the installation of the same in the opposite direction to that of travel for children. up to 15 months.
Common sense dictates that child seats are installed in the rear area of the vehicle, in particular, or in the center seat, or side behind the passenger. Those in group 0 must only be placed on the rear seat.
The Isofix system is an international fastening system that does not use car seat belts but provides for the installation of the seat directly to the seat using special hooks on the restraint system. It is the most stable and safe way of hooking, especially for the ease of installation which eliminates any errors during assembly. However, only cars produced since 2006 have this system but there is no obligation to replace the car if it is not equipped with Isofix attachments.
Failure to use child seats is punished with an administrative sanction ranging from 83.00 euros to 333.00 euros and with a 5-point deduction from the driver's license. If, on the other hand, a parent or an adult exercising parental authority over the child is present on the vehicle, the penalty is applied to him and no points are deducted from the driver.
See also
Rule number 2 - Anti-abandonment devices under four years of age
It is called dissociative amnesia: it is due to stress, haste or fatigue and causes momentary lapses of memory. It is to this pathology that most of the cases of abandonment of children in cars are attributable, a phenomenon that in the last twenty years around the world has caused the death of over 600 minors.
Italy is the first country in the world to make it mandatory, when transporting a child aged between 0 and 4, to install a device that detects and signals its presence in the passenger compartment. For compliance with the law, the common sense of parents should certainly be sufficient, but in any case the legislator has also introduced harsh penalties for offenders. Fines of up to 326 euros, the deduction of 5 points from the driving license and the suspension of the same for up to two months in case of recidivism within two years. The driver is responsible for the violation or, if present on the vehicle at the time of the fact, whoever is required to supervise the minor.
There are seats with an integrated alarm system or independent devices, i.e. cushions or devices to be attached to the seat belts equipped with sensors that generally send a visual or audible alarm via Bluetooth when the child is left in the car. The device must be able to activate automatically at each use and to give a confirmation signal to the driver at the moment of activation. And if powered by a battery, it must signal low charge.
Rule number 3 - Smart entertainment
Keeping the kids entertained in the car can make travel less of a challenge for everyone. Avoid using tablets and smartphones for a long time, and instead try to let the child listen to relaxing stories or music, thus avoiding possible annoyances that can then lead to so-called car sickness.
Car transport for children: the last two golden rules to follow
Rule number 4 - We avoid motion sickness
Speaking of car sickness, what to do if a child suffers from motion sickness? The triggering factors can be: stale air, the smell of food and a generalized non-optimal psychophysical state. Children should not be taken by car fasting, but it is better to favor a diet with low protein intake. A light meal - crackers or dry biscuits - can prevent the annoying feeling of nausea.
Rule number 5 - Transportation by motorbike
And for those who transport children on a two-wheeled vehicle, we remind you that it is possible but from 5 years of age, with the mandatory use of an approved helmet. For all the rest it is necessary to appeal to common sense, because the rules on motorcycles, for the transport of children, are still minimal and unclear.
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