LilSugar

Family SUVs: Is Safety or the Environment More Important?

LilSugar — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:30:48 -0800

Lots of moms buy organic, compost, and recycle before they load their kids up in a gas-guzzling SUV to transport them to soccer, take them on a nature hike, or pick up more energy-saving light bulbs. There's a campaign for families to go green, but much is also to be said for keeping children safe on the open road. The logistics of space - fitting an entire family and their belongings and friends inside a car - aside, lots of moms and dads feel more secure in a large vehicle because the streets and freeways are already swarming with them. And who wants to take a chance with precious cargo? When it comes to motoring around town, which do you consider more: safety or your carbon footprint?

Mommy Dearest: Car Seats and the City

LilSugar — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:30:14 -0800

Mommy Dearest -

We are planning a trip to visit friends in New York City and are staying at a hotel on the opposite end of the city from where they live. In making our plans for the trip, we discussed meeting up at a central location, and our friend said the best way to get there was via taxi. I mentioned that I was not planning on bringing a car seat with us (I found a car service with car seats to carry my toddler and I from the airport to the city) and she laughed and told me that no one uses car seats in taxis - they simply put the child on their lap and hold on. I was appalled. Aren't car seats required whenever you transport a child in the car? What would you do in this situation?

- Concerned About Car Safety Mom

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Dear Concerned About Car Safety Mom -

For most parents, car seats are up there with cribs and strollers in terms of key new baby purchases. For urban dwelling parents, many of whom don't even own cars, the car seat is often one more space-consuming baby accessory that spends most of its time gathering dust. Though the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission is exempt from child safety restraint laws, you must decide for yourself what makes you most comfortable. If you opt out of the taxi option, you won't be alone. Fifty-four percent of LilSugar readers have said they won't drive without their lil ones secure in their seat. Perhaps you could find a bus or subway route that will get you to your destination without the worry or toting along a car seat.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this series at the Mommy Dearest Group on our new community page.

Freakonomics Authors Say Car Seats Can Be as Effective as Seat Belts

babysugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:32 -0700

Maybe our parents weren't so wrong after all. At least that's what the authors of SuperFreakonomics would have us believe. Moms and pops take every precaution to protect their wee ones from harm, including installing top of the line car seats with the highest safety ratings. On Good Morning America, dads and writers Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner told Robin Roberts that car seats may not be the key to keeping tots protected. Rather, the two men argue that harness restraints, like a regular old seat belt, will guard children against harm like a car seat or booster. While they don't promote ditching the seats all together, the below video does make one wonder about the modern day approach.

Check out the video and let me know if it sways your safety thinking at all.

Video courtesy of ABC

Have You Driven Without Your Child Secured in a Car Seat?

LilSugar — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:00:32 -0800

The ladies on The View were pretty upset when a recent episode of The Bachelor featured a young child riding in a limo without a car seat. While we don't know the specifics of the shoot, this is a situation many mamas have found themselves in. Whether it was an emergency situation or a conscious choice, have you ever driven with your child not secured in a car seat?

Lil Links: Should Children Be Allowed to Ride Shotgun?

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:00:19 -0800

Should kids be allowed to ride shotgun? - Parent Dish
How to survive the first weeks of motherhood with some semblance of your sanity - Alpha Mom
Woodpeacker walker puts tiny steps on the green map - Inhabitots
Sandbox time for Sammy Black - Celebrity Baby Blog
Kate Winslet and kids wrapped up in New York - Celebrity Baby Scoop
iPhone apps target new parents - Fit Pregnancy
Let's sleep on it - The Poop
Balancing work and motherhood - Momversation

New Year's Resolutions: Be Careful While Driving

LilSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

The car isn't just a mode of transportation for mothers, it becomes a place to multitask. A convenient setting to make quick calls, munch on a bit of breakfast or to swipe on mascara at stoplights. Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States so Evenflo has launched a campaign asking mamas to do their part in making vehicles safer. As part of A Mother's Promise, they are asking women to post their pledge to their offspring (from slowing down to double checking car seat installation) on the website's wall. What will you do to ensure the safety of your children while on the road?

GM's Augmented Reality Head-Up Display: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:30:33 -0700

Cars going geeky isn't a new trend, but GM is paving the way for the new wave of augmented reality technology to be used for safety instead of entertainment. Its new augmented reality Head-Up Display (HUD) - which is being tested now - will allow drivers in less-than-stellar driving conditions to see the outlines of the road right on their windshields.

Say you're driving in bad fog and can't see 10 feet in front of you - your car's infrared cameras and sensors will "read" the road, then project a virtual outline of the lanes on your windshield so you can see the upcoming turns and curves. I like the idea, but what if the sensors and cameras give faulty information? I see the potential, but I'm not so sure I'd trust anything but my eyes while I'm on the road. What do you think?

Car Decals With a Purpose: Bark Buckle Up Safety Kit

PetSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:00:59 -0700

Summer usually is the time for family road trips and, for most, this includes your four-legged family members as well. I hate to put this out there, but if by chance you get into an accident with your pet in the car (knock on wood, this hasn't happened), first responders can have a heck of a time trying to get you out of a mangled car safely, which can become even more difficult if they have a scared or injured pet on their hands.

First off, pets should always be belted in for their (and your) own good, but adding this Pet Safety Kit into the mix can help even more. Just by signing up and creating a free profile on Bark Buckle Up, you'll get an alert decal, a pet ID card, a subscription to their helpful newsletter, as well as full access to their website.

View 2 Photos ›

What to do then? Find out when you read more.

By attaching the decal to your driver's side door, help will know that you may have a pet riding along with you. These are very much like the fire safety decals I told you about before, but are made to be used in your car. In conjunction with the decal, keep the Pet ID card in the glove box, so responders know where to take Fido if he's been hurt, too. And the best part is, all of this is free, so you really have no reason not to sign up before your next outing!

Lil Links: Sam Mendes and Kate Winslet Split

LilSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:15:07 -0700

Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes split - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Julianne Moore says her career doesn't connect with her kids - Celebrity Baby Blog
Kate Gosselin is dancing to support her kids - ParentDish
Dealing with grandma syndrome - CafeMom
Safety tip: put your car keys next to your bed at night - Modern Mom
What's an appropriate consequence for biting? - Parents Ask
The fertility diet - FitPregnancy
Debating the second baby shower - Alpha Mom
11 ways to help bed wetters - Health

Mommy Alert! Check Your Car Booster Seat For Safety

LilSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

If your child has outgrown their carseat and rides in a booster, take a look at this recent report. For the first time, the transitional seats that youngsters ride in were tested. And, the results for some mainstream brands aren't great. To see if your child's chair made the best bets, good or bad list, read more.

According to the report:

Best Bets

Good Bets

Not Recommended