Summary

This post focuses on child passenger safety, outlines Oklahoma's specific car seat and booster seat laws, offers practical advice for parents on eliminating driving distractions, emphasizes the importance of defensive driving, and provides guidance on the steps to take if your family is involved in a car accident.

Driving around with a car full of kids can be a wild ride even on a slow traffic day. From the constant chatter and backseat sibling bickering to the inevitable crumbs in your floorboard or the endless repetition of their latest favorite Disney movie song playlist, kids can certainly keep their parents on their toes. But they’re adorable even when they’re at their most frustrating, and as parents, we want to do everything we can to keep our most precious cargo safe. 

As a practicing personal injury attorney based out of Tulsa, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of car accidents on Oklahoma families. While we can’t account for every other car on the road, there are a few healthy habits you can adopt to help minimize the chance of a worst-case scenario. Whether you’re stuck in the worst midday traffic knocking out errands with baby on board or you’re taking your teens and tweens on a leisurely autumn drive through Green Country’s brilliant fall foliage, here are a few things we can all do to keep kids — and everyone else — safe on the road. 

Preventable Car Accident Injuries and Deaths 

Even for those of us still old enough to remember riding around in the bed of a pickup truck or nary a seatbelt in sight, it’s easy to forget just how much safer riding in cars has become through the years. We tend to take for granted the impact of features like seatbelts, shoulder harnesses, crumple zones, car seat tethers, and advances in children’s car seats. 

Thanks to these advances in automotive safety, kids in cars are dramatically safer than they once were. In fact, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the number of crash deaths for children today amounts to less than one-fourth of the death rate for kids as recently as 1975 — a reduction largely attributed to advances in safety restraints.  

Even with all those safety advances, the National Safety Council says there’s still work to be done in terms of vehicle, traffic, and driver safety and accident prevention. This is especially true in Oklahoma, one of six states that saw a 10 percent or higher annual increase in traffic fatalities over 2023 at a shocking 21 percent. 

Still, the vast majority of these fatalities, the council asserts, are completely preventable and caused by risky driving behaviors like distracted driving, driving over the speed limit, and driving while impaired. Even as the NSC advocates for changes in infrastructure and intelligent safety features, the council emphasizes that driver education focused on safe and defensive driving,  should be central to the equation. 

Understanding Oklahoma’s Child Passenger Laws

Following child car safety laws is fundamental to keeping kids safe on the road. While most parents want to follow the law when they’re driving, even some of the best-intentioned drivers can end up breaking the laws they don’t know exist. This is especially true for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone else who doesn’t drive children on a daily basis or hasn’t been a parent in some time. That’s exactly why it’s never a bad idea to freshen up on your local child car safety laws. 

Like every other state in the United States, Oklahoma’s legal mandates for child car restraint systems are guided by a child’s weight, height, and age. Because these laws tend to change anytime the latest best practices for safety are updated by health and safety experts, it’s important to read up on those changes anytime you aren’t sure or haven’t driven kids in a while. 

Likewise, it’s a good idea to check back from time to time as the kids in your life grow through their milestones. Keep an eye out for free workshops and events where local law enforcement officers are available to help ensure your car seats are in compliance with the law and correctly installed. 

Follow these child car safety laws if you’re in Oklahoma:

• Children 0-2 years old must ride in a rear-facing car seat until age two or the child exceeds the car seat’s height or weight limit
• Children 2-4 years old must ride in a car seat with a harness until at least four years of age
• Children 4-8 years old must ride in a car seat or booster seat until they reach eight years of age or exceed 4’9” in height
• Children 8 years or older must be restrained with a properly worn seatbelt. 

While kids in Oklahoma can legally ride in the front seat, experts say kids under 12 are safest when riding in the back seat as airbags are designed for adults.

Safely Installing a Car Seat

Getting parents to install a car seat isn’t usually a problem. Unfortunately, many parents don’t realize they’re rolling around with their car seats improperly placed or installed — and a car seat is only as safe as its installation.

When installing your child’s car seat, follow these tips:

1. Always read the car seat manual to be sure you’re installing your car seat properly. 
2. Apply the “Inch Test”: make sure your car seat cannot move more than one inch from front to back or side to side at the belt path. If it does, tighten it. 
3. Apply the “Pinch Test”: Make sure your child’s chest clip is positioned at armpit level and the harness straps are snug enough that no extra can be pinched at your child’s shoulder. 
4. Check your car seat’s expiration dates since plastic components can degrade over time, compromising safety. 

Avoid Distracted Driving

Besides making sure your kids are properly secured in the back seat, the next most important thing you can do to prevent accidents is to do your part in eliminating distracted driving. 

Don’t touch that phone

Phones are increasingly tied to distracted driving accidents these days. If you must use your phone to take a call, text, or navigate while driving, make sure you’re set up with hands-free phone usage. And remember — Oklahoma law prohibits texting while driving. 

Take a moment to prepare for before setting off

It’s all too easy in the hustle and bustle of parent life to get started on the road and then realize a juice needs opened or GPS needs to be input. Get into the habit of managing everything right down to your music selection before you ever take off to minimize the chance of distracted driving. 

Pull over if necessary

Driving while the kids melt down in the back seat can be a trying experience. If you’re having issues that could lead to distracted driving, don’t be afraid to pull over until the chaos dies down and you can get safely back on the road. 

Remain alert and focused

We all know that driving while impaired is illegal and dangerous. But it’s also just as important to avoid getting behind the wheel when you’re sick or overly tired in a way that could potentially impair your ability to focus on the road. 

Since the road is full of distracted drivers, it’s also worthwhile to learn defensive driving techniques and remain situationally aware at all times when you’re driving in traffic. 

How to Handle an Accident

Even when you’re careful all the time, car accidents are always a possibility. If you and your family are involved in a collision, follow these steps:

1. Check for injuries immediately, noting children’s behavior. Even if everyone appears fine and you don’t feel the need to contact a doctor, consider scheduling an appointment with your child’s pediatrician right away to check for less obvious injuries like traumatic brain injury. 
2. Call 911 to get an official police report. 
3. Replace your child’s car seat as its effectiveness may be compromised for future collisions. 
4. Exchange information with the other driver.
5. Take photos of the accident scene. 
6. As soon as possible, record your recollection of events either in writing or audiovisual file. 

Call Tim Gilpin if You Need an Attorney

If you are involved in a car wreck with another driver, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will likely want to settle for as little as possible. As a Tulsa personal injury lawyer, Tim Gilpin can step in to protect your rights, ensure your family’s medical needs are covered, and pursue the full compensation your family deserves. 

If your family has suffered due to a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, don’t hesitate to reach out. If your family has been injured in an automobile accident, contact Tim Gilpin at Gilpin Law Office by calling 918-583-8900 today