Driving Today

Nobody is promising that your next family road trip will be perfect. You’ll still probably have a few moments when you get lost or become cranky at your spouse or your kid who has to go to the bathroom at the wrong time. But if you pay attention to some of these travel safety tips, we’re convinced your time on the road will be that much better. Here are some impoCourtesy of Ford Motor Company, here are some important tips you may not have heard before.

The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear at all times. Do not place any object between you or your passengers and an airbag, or near any other airbag covering. With something on it, the airbag may not inflate properly. Even worse, it may force that object into an occupant of the vehicle, causing severe injury or death. The instrument panel grab-handle should never be used for storage either.

When filling up the cargo areas of the vehicle, always place the heaviest items close to the vehicle floor or truck bed. This way, in the event of a quick stop, those items remain in place and do not move forward in the vehicle, where they can collide with passengers or other materials.

Children who are shorter than 4 feet and 4 inches in height and who weigh less than 79 pounds should be fitted in child safety seats and properly belted. The safety seats need to be securely fitted to the rear seat. To facilitate this, the latest Ford cars (and vehicles from many other manufacturers) are equipped with ISOFIX fittings, which provide a rigid and robust connection between the vehicle and the seats.