This post was sponsored by The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
We are always driving somewhere. Our family takes a lot of road trips. You can find us driving across the country or driving all over Michigan. It is important for our family to get there safe. Keeping the kids entertained to destinations farther away is sometimes difficult.
Keeping Kids Safe
One thing we take seriously, in our travels is our families safety. For us this meant everyone wears a seat belt. And the kids were in booster seats until they were 4’9″. They were not always happy about being in booster seats, but they knew my job was to keep them safe. They also liked the fact that sitting in a booster seat, gave them the ability to see out their door window easier, so they didn’t give me to much trouble.
When you use booster seats and explain in simple terms to kids why they need to use them, you will give them knowledge that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Facts from the Michigan OHSP
- If you are child is under 4’9″, they still need to ride in the car with a booster seat.
- Seat belts alone do not fit or offer the same protection to children as they do to adults.
- By using a booster seat, you can reduce the risk of serious injuries to children aged 4-8 by 45%
- Seat belts reduce the risk of serious injury and death by about 50% in older children and adults
- Only 49.7% of children in Michigan, ages 4-7 use of booster seats because parents are confused or unaware of the requirements.
Tips To Entertain Your Kids In Their Booster Seat In The Car
My kids were not always happy to sit in their booster seats on long trips, here are things to help keep your kids entertained while traveling on the road:
- Have them try to find certain color vehicles
- Have them try to find a vehicle with a flag on it (or something else)
- Try to find license plates from all the different states
- Have them try to find a vehicle with only 1 headline one
- Count the number of white trucks, blue trucks, etc.
- Play A to Z animals with me. (Take turns naming an animal with a letter)
- Play I Spy
- Take frequent breaks
- Plan their trips around nap time
- Have snacks
Whether you are traveling short local errands or longer vacations, always check to make sure your kids are buckled in to their booster seat. With our family it became a habit to buckle them in. If there was a chance I forgot (as busy parents sometimes do), my kids would pipe up and remind me because their safety is important to them now too.
How does your family help your kids understand the importance of using a booster seat? Read more information on booster seat safety at Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.
Leave a Reply