As we head into prime vacation and travel time, it’s important to make sure our cars are clutter-free. Clutter in a car can be deadly during an accident. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. In the event of an accident, anything not fastened down (ie. all of your clutter) could become projectiles. Do you want to see your 2 pound metal water bottle slam into your child’s head at 60 mph? I’m sure you don’t, so be sure to keep your stuff in your trunk. And maybe consider drinking out of a soft-sided, squeezable water bottle instead.
2. Don’t store things under the driver’s or passenger’s seats. The mechanism that allows the car’s airbags to deploy in an accident is located under the front seats, and if you have too much stuff there, it could damage the mechanism, stopping your airbags from deploying when you need them most. Again, put that stuff in your trunk.
3. Don’t use a car seat or booster seat that is 5 year’s old or older. The plastic in these seats breaks down in the heat of the car over time, which could mean they don’t hold up very well in the event of an accident. And if you’ve been in a car accident, replace the car seats altogether, because the plastic could have sustained tiny hairline cracks. Car/booster seats can be recycled at most Fix Auto Body shops in the Portland area, at Far West Fibers and at Legacy Emanuel Hospital.
