Driving with Precious Cargo: Tips for altering your driving behavior with a growing family

No matter how great of a driver you think you might be—no matter how clean your driving record is—everything changes the moment you become a new parent.

It all starts with that first car ride home from the hospital. More frightening than the first time you merged onto the highway the day you got your drivers license, the natural reaction is to obey the speed limit, check your mirrors every 6 seconds and keep to the right at all times.

While definitely a good start to avoiding a traffic ticket, it's not enough. There are a number of new rules related to child safety that all new parents should be aware of to help keep their child out of harms way – not to mention themselves out of a land-based or online defensive driving school.

Proper car seat installation

It's common knowledge that to keep your newborn safe while you're behind the wheel, you need an approved child car seat. But if you think buying a car seat that meets national safety standards is good enough, think again. Many hospitals in the United States won't even let you leave the premises with your newborn unless your car seat has been properly installed.

While many new rear-facing car seats are relatively easy to install yourself by following the instruction manual, many parents feel better leaving the installation to an expert. Doing so will help you avoid a traffic ticket and a trip to traffic school. For added peace of mind, consider a baby store that professionally installs car seats for a small fee. In many communities, police precincts and fire stations hold car seat clinics where they’ll inspect your car seat installation free of charge.

Car seats and the law

All 50 states have child restraint laws and disobeying them could result in a fine and a trip to a defensive driving school. These laws require children to travel in not just any car seat, but one that's approved by national safety agencies.

Every car seat comes with height and weight restrictions. It's very important to follow the manual regarding these restrictions and the guidelines on when to move your infant to a front facing car seat.

It's recommended by driver safety organizations—and by police issuing traffic tickets—that you keep your infant in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible. To help save costs, there are many convertible car seats on the market that can be used in both rear-facing and front-facing positions.

Safety at short distances

No matter where you're headed with your child, always remember their safety first. Countless accidents occur when traveling short distances and not only will you face having to take a defensive driving or traffic school course by not buckling them in, but you could endanger the life of your most precious cargo. In many states, not having your infant strapped in a rear-facing car seat is illegal.

Transitioning to seatbelts

The age at which seat belts can be used instead of car seats differs from state to state so make sure you know the law before you transition your child out of a car seat and into the regular seat.

Get up to speed through an online traffic school

If any of these child safety rules are foreign to you, consider an online defensive driving or traffic school program like the one offered at TrafficSchoolOnline.com. The course is not only designed to help drivers dismiss their traffic tickets and avoid point on their driving record, but it's also useful to drivers of new parents looking to brush up on the rules of the road and keep everyone safe behind the wheel. Your family will thank you.