How to Keep a Child From Unlocking Seat Belts
Keeping your child safe is your highest priority. When a child decides to unlock a seat belt while you are driving, your control of the situation can quickly evaporate. Prevent your children from unlocking their seat belts by teaching them about seat belt safety and reinforcing good behavior. Follow the steps below to keep children from unlocking seat belts.
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Instructions
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How to Keep a Child From Unlocking Seat Belts
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Sit down with your child and explain the need for seat belts. Detail the safety features of a seat belt and how a seat belt works in the event of an accident; keeping the child in place, preventing additional injuries such as hitting one's head, breaking an arm or leg, or being thrown from the vehicle through the windshield. For very young children you can explain that by buckling one's seat belt you will be preventing owies or booboos from occurring if your car is hit by another car.
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Share a seat belt safety video with your children so they understand the importance not unlocking their seat belt. A great child seat belt video can be found at buckleupbucky.com (See Resources).
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Purchase a seat belt locking clip that prevents a child from unlocking the seat belt. Seat belts locking clips can be bought online at amazon.com (See Resources). Install the locking clip and teach your children the necessity of never unlocking their seat belt in a moving vehicle.
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Remind your children to buckle their seat belts when getting in the car. Review the reasons why it is necessary to wear a seat belt.
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Reward your child at the end of every car trip if they keep their seat belt locked into place. Positive rewards that can be given include food rewards such as a piece of candy or small cookie, additional positive rewards could be 10 extra minutes before bed time or outside, choice of music on the next car ride or a special bedtime story. After the child becomes accustomed to not unlocking their seat belt, begin spacing out the physical reward.
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Verbally praise your child each time they keep their seat belt locked during a car ride.
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Set a good example for your child by always wearing your seat belt while the car is in motion. It will be much easier for them to believe the severity of the possibilities for not wearing their seat belt if all adults, and older siblings, friends or family members, wear their seat belts, too.
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If your child refuses to wear his seat belt or unlocks the seat belt while the car is in motion, pull over to the side of the road, stop the vehicle and refuse to continue the travel plans until the seat belt has been re-buckled. Explain calmly the reasons behind wearing a seat belt and what could happen if an accident occurs and the child's seat belt is unlocked.
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