The one thing you shouldn't do if you're in a car crash with your child

It's a mistake many parents would make without thinking.

Every parent buckles their child in for a journey believing they’re safe; but small mistakes can have life-altering consequences.

What’s scary is that many parents don’t even realise they’re making them.

Ex-paramedic Nikki Jurcutz from Tiny Hearts Education spoke with Kidspot about the critical errors that are being made behind the wheel - with one in particular potentially making a huge difference to outcomes.  

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Removing a child from their seat after a crash

She says one of the most vital mistakes happens after a car accident.

As a mum herself, she's pushing to educate others so that when adrenaline takes over in the chaos of a crash, this life-saving information stays front of mind.

“The biggest mistake is removing a child from their car seat too soon,” she told Kidspot. 

“In any moderate to severe crash (above 60km/h) children should be kept as still as possible to reduce the risk of worsening a potential spinal injury.”

In an Instagram post shared with her 822,000 followers, the ex-paramedic explains that there are actually three collisions in every car accident.

“The car will hit the object or another car. Your body will move around and hit different parts of the vehicle, causing damage," she explained.

"The third impact is actually all of your organs moving inside your body—including your brain hitting your skull."  

What should you do if your child is in a crash?

Nikki’s advice:

• If it’s safe, leave them in their car seat and wait for paramedics.
• If the car is unsafe (e.g. fire, smoke, or a dangerous position), unclip and remove the entire car seat or cut the strap with the child still in the harness.
• If the child must be removed urgently, support their head, neck, and spine as much as possible while removing.

She adds that when paramedics arrive, they’re assessing far more than parents may realise. They’re evaluating speed, impact type, vehicle damage, and injuries to all passengers before deciding the next steps.

“When it comes to children, they’re particularly cautious of hidden injuries like spinal damage or internal bleeding, which can be hard to recognise externally,” Nikki said.

“A paramedic can’t ‘spinally clear’ a child at the scene. If the accident was above 60km/h, they’ll transport the child to hospital for further assessment.”

Image: Instagram/tinyheartseducation

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Common kids' safety mistakes by drivers

Unfortunately, post-crash decisions aren’t the only risks parents are unknowingly taking.

Nikki says these judgement errors are all too common:

• Forward-facing too early: “Australian law allows babies to be forward-facing from 6 months, but best practice is to keep them rear-facing for as long as possible within the seat's height markers.” 

• Loose harness straps: “If the straps aren’t snug, a child can be thrown forward in an accident, increasing the risk of injury. A quick way to check: if you can pinch the strap material at the shoulder, it’s too loose.” 

• Bulky clothing: “Thick jackets or padded clothing create a dangerous gap between the harness and the child’s body.”

• Using the wrong restraint for their age/size: “Moving a child to a booster seat too early, or skipping a restraint altogether, can increase the risk of serious injury.” 

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Every parent knows the struggle of getting out of the house with a restless, screaming child and just wanting to get on the road.

But taking just a few extra seconds to check those straps, adjust the seat, and knowing what to do in the face of an emergency could be the difference between a close call and a devastating outcome.

There’s no such thing as too safe when it comes to protecting little lives.

Originally published as The one thing you shouldn't do if you're in a car crash with your child