Car Seat Safety Inspection
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for children, ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To operate effectively, car seats must be properly installed. NHTSA estimates that 75 percent of parents make mistakes during installation. You must also take care not to move your child into an adult seat belt too soon.
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Age and Size Guidelines
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Inspecting a car seat is of little use if your child is not using the proper one. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends infants younger than 1 and less than 20 pounds use a rear-facing, infant-only car seat. These seats have a carrying handle and fit into a base that stays in your vehicle. Children between 1 and 4 and 20 and 40 pounds should sit in a forward-facing child seat. AAP advises parents to secure children in a booster seat once they reach 4 years of age and 40 pounds until they are 57 inches tall.
Infant Seat Inspection
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AAP stresses that you should never place a child in a rear-facing car seat in front of a passenger air bag. If it inflates, it hits the portion of the seat where your baby's head rests, causing serious potential injury. Other infant seat inspection tips include making sure the seat's base is tightly attached to the vehicle as per the manufacturers instructions. Seatcheck.org says not securing seats tightly is one of the biggest mistakes parents make.
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Child Seat Inspection
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Infant seats and forward-facing car seats use a harness to secure your child. While AAP defers to your car seat maker's instruction manual for specific details, they urge parents and caregivers to double-check that the harness fits snug against your child's body. Harness straps should rest on the shoulders, with the chest clip located at armpit level.
Booster Seat Inspection
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AAP warns that child booster seats must be used in conjunction with a shoulder/lap belt combination. Using a booster seat with a lap belt only leaves the upper body restrained, which increases injury risk in a crash. While the back seat is the best place to employ a booster seat, the front seat is the better choice when only lap belts are available in the rear of the vehicle, notes Seatcheck.org.
Time for Adult Seat Belt?
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A booster seat lifts a child up so that an adult seat belt fits properly. AAP explains that children can use an adult seat belt when they reach 4-feet-9-inches tall. To make sure your child is ready, inspect the seat belt's position relative to his body. Safe Kids USA says the shoulder belt should lie on the collarbone and shoulder, while the lap belt should sit low on the hips and high on the thighs. Your child's knees should be able to bend comfortably at the seat's edge when her back and bottom are flush against the vehicle's seat back.
Professional Inspection
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To be sure you are properly using car seats and seat belts with your child, consider a professional inspection. The NHTSA website provides a search tool that will find inspection locations in your area. Seatcheck.org points out that a certified technician will conduct a 20- to 30-minute check of your current set-up, make adjustments and offer suggestions. They will also ensure that you are not using a recalled seat or improperly securing your child in the restraint system.
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References
- Photo Credit sleeping in a car image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com
