A Long Ride...

As the holidays descend upon us, we thought that it might be useful to let eveyone in on the most up-to-date 'Child Car Restraints' laws: particularly as many of us will be taking road trips over the holiday season!

In summary:
under 6 mths: rearward facing infant capsule with inbuilt safety harness in the rear of the vehicle
6mths to 4 years: forward facing child seat with inbuilt safety harness in the rear of the vehicle
4yrs to 7 yrs: booster seats in the rear of the vehicle;unless all back seats are taken by children under 4yrs

Other important things to note include:
- Only use harnesses with the ASM (Australian Standards Mark)
- If your harness has cracked: chuck it out!
- Never install a child restraint in any seat that may be affected by an airbag: this is dangerous and illegal in NSW
- Also, no matter how tempting, don't leave your kids in the car. The temp can rise 40 degrees in 5 minutes and you can face a fine of up to $22,000

So, now after all that seriousness....something more lighthearted?? How about some games for that car trip?

Scavenger Hunt:
Make a list of things for your children to look for on their trip. Have them watch out the windows and check off things as they see them. Some suggestions: a flashing red light, a cow, a horse, a McDonald’s, a church, a police car, a sign with a Q in it, a mobile home, a yellow Volkswagon Beetle, a motorcycle, a red fence.

Group Story:
One person starts a story and stops in mid sentence. The next person finishes the sentence and adds more to the story. By the end of the story, everyone in the car has contributed and the story has taken lots of twists and turns - and the sillier the better!

Make A Story:
Get a small recording device and while you drive create a story and record it. This could be about where you are going, what you are seeing or just a story about the people in the car!

Stay safe!