Basic Shopping Cart Safety For Younger Children

If you’re out at the grocery store with your child, you may wish them to ride in the cart so that they don’t run off or get into mischief.  Here are some shopping cart safety tips to help you protect your child.  While carts can be fun for your little ones to ride in, they can also be dangerous, and following these guidelines can help prevent accidents.

Believe it or not, shopping carts cause a large number of head injuries every single year when children and parents do not practice basic common sense.  The safety belt should always be used when a child is riding in the seat area of the shopping cart, and following weight and height restrictions is crucial.  Check to ensure that any belts are fully operational before use and do not use the seat if the belt is broken. 

It goes without saying that you should never let your toddler or child stand up in the front or seat of the cart, and never try to put a baby who cannot yet sit upright properly in the seat, even if you use a support or pillow.  The only way to put a baby in a shopping cart is by strapping on a proper rigid child car seat to support their neck and head and to stop them from slipping out of the seat. 

Another important thing to remember is not to let children ride in the basket of the shopping cart or stand on the outside of it while it is moving.  Most shopping cart injuries happen when the cart gets out of balance and falls over, or when a child falls off the cart while it is moving and gets hit by the cart, or has fingers or toes run over.  This is also why you should never let your child push a cart while another child is riding in it – if the first child slips and falls out, you child may not have the reflexes to stop the cart before it hits their sibling. 

Following these simple tips can ensure that your children are safe inside the shopping cart.  Following these rules is easy, and it can help protect your little ones from injury.  Carts may seem like a cool ride, but kids need to know that they must be used properly, just like any other vehicle.