This week is Child Passenger Safety Week, and like many parents out there, I want to be sure that I not only have the correct gear for my kids when it comes to the car seats, booster seats, and seat belts that are needed in my vehicles, but I also want to make sure that we are using them properly, to ensure our kids safety while we are in the car!
As a concerned parent, I can look into the car seat check places around my area, and also take advantage of this weekends car seat check event, that will be taking place nationwide, and at a facility near you. The list of facilities that will be taking part in the car seat check on Car Seat Check Saturday can be found by checking here: http://www.safercar.gov/cpsApp/cps/index.htm. Also, check out some of these great tips that the wonderful people from Safety 1st want to share with my readers:
Car Seat Safety Tips
By the experts at Safety 1st
Importance of Rear Facing
In March of 2011 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their car seat recommendations advising that children should remain rear facing until the age of two. According to a study in the Journal of Injury Prevention children under the age of two are 75% less likely to die or be severely injured in the event of a car crash if they are rear facing. When a child is rear facing their head, neck and spine are better supported and in the event of an accident, crash forces are distributed over the child’s entire body.
Location
Typically the center rear seat is the safest place for a car seat, and never install a car seat in the front seat. If your car does not have a latch connector for the middle seat, you can use the middle seat belt to properly secure the base. When installing, make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side. An easy way to test this is to hold at the belt path.
Car Seat Expiration
Car seats do have an expiration date, it is recommended that car seats be replaced every 5-8 years, or immediately after a crash. The reason for an expiration date is because plastic can warp and materials can fray, which can make car seats not as effective in the event of a crash. Additionally car seat technology and state and federal car seat regulations change over time. Important warning labels may wear out and instruction books may get lost, which can lead to improper use of the car seat.
Safeguard the Car
Childproof the inside of the car and eliminate projectiles. Anything in the car that is not secured is a possible projectile – even a child’s toy, or a water bottle. In a crash, objects take on greater weight due to crash forces.
Child Safety Seats by Safety 1st
· onBoard 35 Air +Infant Car Seat
Air Protect + combines the advanced protection of the Air Protect® cushion system with patented GCell HX™ foam designed with hexagonal shapes for superior protection around the torso. TOGETHER they provide full body side impact protection.
· Advanced SE 65 Air +Convertible Car Seat
For children from 5-65 pounds. In addition to Air Protect +, the Advance 65 Air + uses a steel-reinforced metal frame for extra stability and includes a 4-position recline for an optimal fit to your vehicle. We’ve also included color-coded belt paths and installation labels to help you install it quickly and correctly.
Forward-facing: 22-40 pounds with Belt-positioning at 40-100 pound. Fully loaded with ease-of-use features that parents will appreciate: Like the 4-position QuickFit™ headrest which adjusts without the need for rethreading and a 5-point safety harness with Center Front Adjust.
· Incognito Kid Positioning Seat
A new category for car seats. The goal for Safety 1st is to help educate parents that any child under 4’9” (57”) in height should still be in a belt positioning seat. The Incognito blends into the car and prevents slouching to ensure comfortable and proper positioning of the seat belt. The introduction of this seat has helped to extending child restraints to accommodate children 60 to 120 lbs. and up to 60 inches.
Well to help celebrate Child Safety Passenger Week, the wonderful people from Safety 1st would like to give one of my amazing readers a safety seat of their own!
Apparently there are different ways to install rear-facing carseats…I just assumed there was one way.
I learned you should always register your car seat so you can learn about recalls or product defects. I never did this for my older child
This is a great website for safety information.I'm an expecting first time mom, so a lot of this info is new to me. I learned that babies should remain rear facing until about 2 yrs old. I learned that for rear-facing car seats the harness straps should lie flat.The NHTSA rating system for ease of use is really great too.
That alot of car seats are not installed properly
I learned you should keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.
I learned that I can register my child's car seat so that I receive updates, recalls, and safety notices.
i learned that a child doesnt need a booster seat until they are 4 years old
I learned how to read car seat ratings.
I learned how to register your car seat and why it is important some of those recalls can be confusing it would be much nicer to just be contacted about them.
Visited the site and learned they have an ease of use rating system that allow you to evaluate how easy certain car seat features are before you buy a seat.
I learned they have a calculator to determine when the child can ride using just the seat belt.kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom
everything about car seat safety
I learned that you need to keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12!
I learned that you should not be able to move the car seat side-to-side or front-to-back more than 1 inch when installing your rear-facing convertible seat.
I learned that the decision point for transitioning your child out of a booster seat and into a seat belt usually comes when the child is between 8 and 12 years old.
Not that I've ever seen one this way – but I was unaware that infant car seats could never be forward facing. I'm sure I would have learned that rather quickly with Baby coming soon though. đ
I didn't realize how long a child could stay in each of the types of car seats. I'm curious how a 3 year old could continue to stay rear facing… wouldn't their knees be bent up to their chin by then? Stephanie S.
Everything, from car seat ratings, to when a child is ready to move to the next stage of car seats and so on. great site
everything, from car seat ratings, to the ages/stages when a child should go from rear to front facing car seats. Its just a great site for all info regarding car seat safety.
I learned that there is a nifty tool for helping you choose a good car seat for your child.
I learned that I can use a booster seat for my 5 year old.
I Learned That I Can Register The Car Seat And Learn About Recalls! Great Feature!
I learned I can register by car seat.
I learned you should keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12
I learned that you can register your car seat in case of recall.
I learned they have an ease of use rating on their site.
I learned that they base their safety standards on three steps, 1. Finding the right car seat based on many factors of the child 2. Knowing how to correctly install the seat3. Registering the seatMy baby girl is outgrowing her infant seat. Thanks for the tips and opportunity!Seasidesmitten@aol.com
convertible and boosterâdepending on your childâs age and size.
I learned that an All-in-One Seat can change from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat.
I had no idea you could register your car seat! I think that is awesome!
That you should always register your car seats to find out about recalls.
I learned that their are three base types of car seats, with all of them have different types as well.mcfallsk8er[at]com[dot]com
I learned you should keep your child in the back seat at least through 12 years of age.
I learned that you need to register your car seat to be able to get recall information. I love how they have the links right on the page to find where to register your car seat! Was very easy to use after I put in our make and model of car seat!
I learned that I should not have been sitting in the front seat when I was 8 years old lol.
i learned you can use this all the way up to the age of 5 or 6 which is amazing!
I learned about registering your car seat.
Thanks for sharing important information about car seat safety. I wanted to point out this list of safe car seats to use, and a cool infographic that shows why these safety measures are crucial.