The safety of infants and children in the car is a paramount concern for us all. We have the responsibility to ensure that they are correctly strapped in to their correctly fitted car seat and that we lessen the risk of having an accident by driving defensively.

Under British law, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that all children aged under 14 comply with the seat belt laws.

Ensure that the child locks are on whenever there is a child in the car, thus avoiding a door being opened by inquisitive fingers.

Children should never travel on an adult's lap, or another child's lap.

Newborns can look and feel lost in first-stage car seats. Use a wrap around body support with Velcro fastening and head hugger, cushions and protects your little baby whilst in his car seat or buggy. They are recommended by midwives and special care baby units and are machine washable so hygienic and convenient and fit all makes of infant seats.

Put your child's car seat in the back seat, it is the safest place in the car because it is farthest away from a head on crash (the most common type of crash). Ensure that you always follow the manufacturers instructions as to how to install and use the car seat correctly. Ensure that the restraints are correctly positioned and tightened.

The strap that crosses the lower body should be situated over the pelvis, not across the tummy. The restraining straps should not be too slack, they should allow just enough room to slide your flattened fingers between the webbing and the child's body.

Often a good idea to pack the car before putting the children in. Leave your children enough space. Don't pack the car so tightly that everyone is squashed in with no room to relax and just keep a small selection of items to hand.

Ensure that everything is secured in such a way that there is nothing for example that could shoot forward/sideways from the backseat or hatchback and hit or crush your child. Keep a
en route rubbish bag handy and back seat protectors are a useful addition to prevent the area underneath car seats becoming a sticky gooey mess.

For older children ensure they are giving the opportunity to use the toilet at any of your stops en route.

If possible sit beside your child in the back of the car he'll likely be much calmer as he won't feel so isolated as you are in sight and you can play with him and keep him busy. Do encourage children to be interested in passing countryside by answering all their questions and talking about what you see.

Above all if he starts to cry and get upset, stop the car at the next safe opportunity and take the time to calm him down. It's dangerous to drive when you are distracted, and it's hard on the baby to have his cries ignored.

Check that the volume of the radio/cassette/cd player in the rear of the car is not turned up too high; you don't want to damage their hearing.

Remember to attach sunshades to your rear car windows, always on the nearest window to your child, to protect him from UV rays and help prevent motion sickness.

Remember to fit a child view mirror to your windscreen before you leave so that you can have a good view of your child without having to turn around.

Only allow your children to play with hand-held computer games and picture books if they are not prone to motion sickness.