Child Safe Tips

Belt-Positioning High-Back Booster Seats- High-Back booster seats lift children up so the vehicle’s seat belt will fit better. There is a variety of High-Backs to choose from. Some of the booster seats provide head and neck support for vehicles that do not have headrests. However, some of the head supports are fairly tight and might not be what you want. Other booster seats extend upwards as the child grows. This type of High-Back booster lets you personalize the chair for your child. There are folding booster seats and booster seats with more cushions. No matter what seat you choose the vehicles shoulder and lap belt must be used. You cannot just use a lap belt.

Combination Seats- Combination seats grow with the child. They can be used as a forward-facing toddler seat for children 20-40 pounds. At this stage the 5-point harness is used to keep the child in place. When the child reaches 40 pounds the 5-point harness can be removed and a regular shoulder/lap belt are used. The seats usually let you adjust different parts of the seat to position the seat belt correctly for your child.

Belt-Positioning No-Back Booster Seat- This type of booster seat lifts the child up so the seat belt will fit better. A shoulder and lap belt must be used to keep the child safe. Any vehicle with built-in head rests can use a No-Back booster.

When trying to find the right booster seat you should use the sites that allow parents to comment on the seats. Target.com is a good example. You can see why parents like the seat or why they don’t.

Posted by Child Safety at 05:50 PM | Permalink

• Remember that infant carriers are not the same as a child safety seat. Infant carriers are not designed to protect children in a car accident. There is no way for a seat belt to keep an infant carrier in place. If you cannot afford a seat you can contact your local fire department. They help people get car seats and they help people install them correctly. You can also find some inexpensive car seats in children’s consignment shops.
• A child is not safe in anyone’s lap. Many parents are tempted to just hold their child or to let them out of the seat if they are crying. It is understandable to want to, but it is deadly to actually do it. If your vehicle gets in a car accident the force of the crash will turn your child into a projectile. There is really no way to hold on to the child. If your child is too upset in the car seat try to pull over in safe place. Bringing toys along may also help.
• All children should be buckled up. Children of every age should be buckled up. As with infants, unbuckled children (and adults) turn into projectiles in a car accident.
• Children should not be near airbags in the front seat. A released airbag can severely injure or kill children. Actually, airbags are very dangerous for anyone under 5’4.
• Bring toys may help your child tolerate the car ride, but it is best to bring toys that are soft and not really hard. If you should get in an accident hard toys can turn into projectiles.

Posted by Child Safety at 05:47 PM | Permalink

• When installing a car seat put your weight into it. You may want to press down on the safety seat with your knee as you tighten the safety belts. If you are using a sear with a Latch System you need to do the same thing as you tighten the belts that are attached.
• Your car should have directions in the owner’s manual regarding the vehicles seat belts and child safety seats. You should always review this information because the car manufacturers have experimented and tested the vehicle for everything you can imagine. If they have a comment about a child seat or their seat belts it is probably important.
• Do not forget to read the child safety seat’s instruction manual. The manufacturers of the car seats have also tested their product. They know what you need to do and how you should do it. Their instructions can save your child’s life. All newer child car seats have a sticker on the side of the seat. This sticker has simple installation instructions and information regarding the weight of your child. This information is important to read.
• How to ensure the car seat is secure. Many newer cars have seat belts with a built-in locking system. However, some still require a safety clip. The owner’s manual for your vehicle will let you know if you need a locking clip. New car seats, today, include a locking clip. Usually they are attached to the back of the child’s car seat. Leave the clip there when not using it, because you may need it if you move the seat to another vehicle.

Posted by Child Safety at 05:44 PM | Permalink

Strong seat belt laws and education have made a difference in the last few years. Many more people are putting seat belts on themselves and their children. However, there are some people that either refuse or do not understand the importance of wearing a seat belt or putting their child in a child safety seat.

Primary and Secondary enforcement laws are two different types of child seat belt laws. If an officer observes you driving without a seat belt and stops to give you ticket for the offense he/she is acting under primary enforcement law. If an officer stops you for another offense, notices that you do not have your seat belt on, and gives you a ticket for the offense he/she is acting under secondary law. Primary laws have made a difference because more people are using seat belts and using child safety seats for their children. The belief is that people are afraid of receiving a ticket so they use seat belts. A study in June 2002 found that the states that enacted primary enforcement laws had a higher percentage of people wearing seat belts, eleven percent more. Eleven percent may not seem like much, but it really is and the laws have saved many lives.

Posted by Child Safety at 05:30 PM | Permalink

The back seat is really the safest place for your child. Any child in a rear-facing car seat has to be in the back seat. If a baby is in a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of a vehicle they can be easily killed if the airbag deploys. Children in forward-facing car safety seats are much safer in the back also. Children in forward-facing car seats can also be killed if placed in the front seat with an airbag. All children and adults should be properly buckled up for the safety of everyone. Read more about child seat belt laws. If there is an accident unbuckled children will become projectiles and not only will they be severely injured, but other people in the car will be injured from the child’s body moving around the car.

Many people believe that their children are old enough to not use a seat or a booster seat. Children should be at least 4’9’ tall and/or 80 pounds before they are removed from a booster seat. Smaller children that are buckled in can still be easily hurt in a car accident. The seat belt will not properly hold the child in place because it is made for bigger people. A booster seat will lift your child into a higher position which allows the seat belt to be positioned correctly. There are a variety of booster seats to choose from. Some even have light that shine down so the child can play or read at night. Booster seats will keep your child safe, please use one.

Posted by Child Safety at 05:23 PM | Permalink

LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. This system was mandated by the federal government to make LATCHs standard in all vehicles created after September 1, 2002. The LATCH system makes car seat installation much easier and ensures the child’s safety. Anchor points are located between the car’s back seat cushions. There will be two anchors and they will be located on the left and right seat, not the middle seat. Car seats have a lower set of attachments which hook onto the vehicle anchors. Both rear and front-facing car seats will have the tethers needed to attach to the anchors in the seat. It is not necessary to use the LATCH system with a booster seat. Some convertible car seat manuals tell you that you must remove the LATCH tethers when you adjust the seat to be a booster seat.

To check if your vehicle has the anchors for the LATCH system you can feel between the cushions on the back seat. Just feel for two steel rods that stick out slightly in almost a rectangular shape. Most of the time, you will be able to see the anchors between the cushions. If your vehicle does not have the LATCH anchors you can still provide a safe car seat for your child. The car seat’s manual will give you instructions on what you should do and you will most likely need a locking clip. You also do not have to have a car seat with the LATCH system. The instructions for the car seat will tell you how to properly secure your child.

Posted by Child Safety at 05:10 PM | Permalink

Buying a child car safety seat can be a stressful experience. You go to the store and there are rows of car seats. They all look similar; some are cheap and some are outrageously expensive. So how do you know which company produces the best car seats? Well, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rates car seats on the ease of use; you can click here to see the information. The “ease of use” might not seem important, but it really is. If parents cannot install the car seat properly their child will not be safe. The NHTSA rates the following: Assembly, Evaluation of Labels, Evaluation of Instructions, Installing Features, Securing the Child, and the Overall Ease of Use Rating. All of these categories are given an “A”, “B”, or “C” rating. To receive an “A” rating the seat must receive an “A” for each area that is evaluated.

For the 2005 car safety seats, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that most seats have greatly improved regarding the clarity of labels and instructions. The NHTSA rates Infant Seats, Convertible Seats, Forward Facing Seats, Combination Seats, and Booster Seats. The NHTSA suggests you try the car seat to see if it properly fits in your vehicle before purchasing.

If you want to see what parents think about the different Child Car Seats available you can go to Target.com and Amazon.com. These websites allow parents to post reviews of the car seats and the reviews are usually very informative. If you compare the NHTSA’s ratings and the parent’s reviews you might find the perfect, safest car seat for your child.

Posted by Child Safety at 02:32 PM | Permalink