(StatePoint) Most parents of infants are well-advised of certain dangers. However, there is one safety risk that doesn’t get much attention. Nearly 24,000 children are in accidents involving shopping carts each year, many suffering cuts, bruises, broken limbs and even head and brain injuries.
Falls from the cart are among the leading causes of head injuries to young children. How can you ensure your trip to the store doesn’t lead to a trip to the emergency room? The experts at Safe-Strap, the inventors of the shopping cart seat belt, offer the following tips.
• It can be tempting to try to balance your infant carrier on top of your shopping cart, as the carrier may appear like it’s designed to fit there. Be advised, this isn’t the case. Use a shopping cart outfitted with a docking station, such as Safe-Dock, the first universal infant carrier docking station for shopping carts. This provides an easy transition of baby carrier from car to cart, no matter what the make and model of your US-purchased car seat is.
• Toddlers and pre-school-aged children can be at-risk too. Make sure your children are wearing a safety belt or harness at all times, and that it is fastened securely. Children should never ride in the basket. Remember, it only takes a second for a child to stand up in a shopping cart, which increases the chances of falling or tipping the cart.
• Pay attention. These days, it’s all too easy to let your phone be a distraction, but shopping is distraction enough. Keep your eyes on your kids for safer shopping.
• If the stores you shop in don’t offer carts with infant carrier docks, talk to a store manager. Your customer feedback is valued, and your voice could help motivate the store to upgrade their carts to include important safety features.
More shopping cart safety tips can be found at shoppingcartsafety.com, where parents can also see if local retailers offer Safe-Dock and request their stores install the system.
It’s important to keep in mind that most shopping cart injuries are entirely preventable. Make shopping safer for your baby and more convenient for you by always using a shopping cart with proper safety features.
