When it comes to automobiles and child safety, it has been pointed out with relative frequency that many of the requirements mandated by law represent nothing more than a minimal standard. That may not be all that comforting to parents who may mistakenly believe that existing legislated requirements are emblematic of best practices in terms of child safety rather than a bare minimum, and it’s certainly not uncommon for parents to believe that the government would have a rather large incentive to mandate a fairly lofty standard when it comes to the safety of children.
Dr. Raouf Farag, an obstetrician practicing out of Gosford, New South Wales, has previously expressed concern regarding this fact, especially when it comes to the level of surprise he has seen in patients who find out about best practices regarding child safety measures for automobiles and the fairly sizable disconnect between those practices and the requirements set forth by law. Whether these measures relate to age and size guidelines for rearward-facing car seats or other in-car safety features, Dr. Farag has found that there is a troubling degree of confusion among even the most well-intentioned parents he has spoken to over the years.
This is part of the reason why it is important for enhanced automobile safety legislation to be thoughtfully considered. Not only is enhancing current standards a means of addressing a critical public health and safety issue, but it is also a way to clearly inform parents regarding the best practices available to them to ensure the safety of their children. When it comes to a safety issue such as this, there really is no room for confusion.
Dr. Farag shared that while he has made every effort to inform his patients regarding the best way to protect their young children, he also noted that there are still so many others who wish to always do the most they possibly can to protect their children yet simply remain unaware that the standard represents an absolute minimum. Raising those standards toreflect best practices is just one of the many ways children can enjoy a greater degree of safety while traveling in a car.