Menu
From cruising the strip to family man, your car is a main staple in your life and family, and your second home. We spend, on average, nearly 10 hours a month in our vehicles, so it should be as safe and as comfortable as possible when transporting your most precious loved ones — your kids. At Jet Black Tint, we care about the safety and wellbeing of your kids and want to help you keep them safe in your luxury sports car (or your mini-van!). Join us as we discuss some of the top child safety features to add to your vehicle.
Carseats are an aftermarket extension to your car that should change as your children grow. From a rear-facing cradle car seat, to a forward-facing 5-point harness, to a booster seat before graduating to a seat, your child should be in a size- and age-appropriate restraint. Your child’s age, height, and weight all factor into the correct seat, and if you find it difficult to keep up, just keep in mind that no child under the age of 13 should sit in the front seat of a vehicle. Check out this helpful resource to discover the correct car seat options for your kids.
[bs_button size=”md” type=”info” value=”Are They In The Right Seat?” href=”https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat “]
Not only are car seats important for preventing your child from being ejected from the car in an accident, but they also help protect them when airbags deploy — more on that later.
Just as important as the car seat itself is the anchor that holds it in place. As of 2002, all vehicles are required to include LATCH, or Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren These medal loops offer a solid anchor spot for car seats to lock into, preventing movement and shifting. They prevent the give that seatbelts offer and keep seats securely in place no matter whether they are suddenly jerked or gently tugged on. LATCH anchors should be easy to access for the best car seat installation. When car shopping, keep these anchors in mind.
With all the buttons and handles on the car door, right within your young child’s reach, it’s just a matter of time before a door handle is pulled mid-drive. To prevent the door from opening while the car is in motion, it’s important to engage rear-door child safety locks. Check your vehicle’s manual to find out where they are and whether they are manually engaged on the door frame or controlled by a driver’s seat button.
More than just a comfort item, anti-pinch windows and tailgates have saved many appendages and pets from severe harm. Small fingers can be completely amputated in a closing car door, so many cars now have sensors in their power window and tailgate systems designed to reverse operation if any resistance is detected. This function guarantees that the presence of a hand or a head can tell the window or tailgate to retract or go back up to prevent pinching. Of course, this feature may seem annoying when your dog figures out that a simple paw to the glass can prevent you from rolling the window up, it saves many dog ear tips and human fingers!
The evolution of passenger monitoring has been led by worried moms in mini-vans, but the results are enjoyed by car owners everywhere. Whether your car has simple mirrors placed throughout or you’ve got a full third-seat camera and PA system installed, having some way to monitor your small passengers offers as much peace of mind as a baby monitor does at home. If your car doesn’t come with monitoring devices as part of the vehicle, you can easily install after-market electronic monitoring or simple mirrors on the head running board.
A simple, yet highly effective safety device is a rear-seat mirror. These are incredibly inexpensive and can be slipped over any headrest and angled at the child or pet in the seat below. The mirrors are angled so that a quick glance in your rearview mirror gives an instant snapshot of how your loved one is doing. This helps prevent parents from diverting their attention from the road to turn around and check on their child and ensures constant visibility of babies in rear-facing car seats. An added benefit is that when your child can see you, they are much more content and it can prevent distracting cries and let you focus on driving safely.
Side-impact airbags can be the difference between life and death in a car accident. If you’ve ever seen the aftermath of a t-bone accident, you can easily see how a child trapped in the backseat can be fatally injured. Side-impact airbags, in conjunction with properly fitted car seats cushion the blow and can save your child’s life. Many modern vehicle models come standard with safety airbags mounted to second-row seatbacks that provide additional chest or pelvic protection.
Window tint film is another aftermarket safety feature that protects all of your passengers. Children are more prone to heat injuries in vehicles, especially in rear-facing car seats, because of the reduced airflow from the AC unit and the solar heat absorbed through car glass. Window tint rejects UV rays and solar heat. In addition, tint film can help hold window glass together in the event of a break to prevent shards of flying glass from impaling your children. To learn more about how vehicle tint keeps your kids safe, read our previous post on the topic.
[bs_button size=”md” type=”info” value=”How Tint Keeps Your Kids Safe” href=”https://jet.ww7.work/car-window-tinting-bay-area/how-window-tint-keeps-your-kids-and-pets-safe/”]
At Jet Black Tint, we can get you hooked up with the right window tint to keep your kids, and passengers of all size, safe in the car. Visit us online to view all of your tint options and schedule your installation today. Don’t forget that we’ve got options to fit your busy family life, including mobile installation services and do-it-yourself options. Connect with JBT today.