Car Seats for Safety

September 19, 2017

It's been years since I've written about car seat safety and since September 17-23, 2017, is Child Passenger Safety Week I thought I'd take a moment to review car seat safety basics and share some of my favorite car seat safety links.

Most parents are now aware that all infants must be in a rear facing car seat, but many turn their toddlers around too early or let older kids move to the next level too soon.

I tell kids all the time that the state law is the bare minimum, but it isn't necessarily the safest way to ride. I use the example that in my state an adult can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but that's not safe. They usually agree, and I think it helps them understand that just because it's legal to do something, it doesn't make it safe to do.

Kids learn from the behaviors they see their parents display, so all parents should buckle up for safety!

Which car seat is best?

When looking for a car seat or booster seat, don't assume spending more money will buy a better seat.

You need to be sure it fits your vehicle and your child.

Whatever seat you buy, be sure to register it so you are notified of any recalls.

Infants and children under 2 years or 30 pounds

Infants and children under 2 years should ride rear facing unless they are bigger than the height or weight maximum for the seat.

Children over 2 years who still fit in the height and weight requirements of the rear facing car seat can still ride rear facing safely.

Another safety factor for infants and young children: don't leave them in the car!

Young children often fall asleep in the car.

If sleep deprived (no parent is ever really well rested) and in a hurry, even the best parent can be distracted and forget about the sleeping baby.

Children 2 years and older

Kids over 2 years (and those larger than the rear facing car seat maximum height or weight) should use a forward facing car seat with a 5 point harness.

They should continue the harness until they are mature enough and big enough. This means they must be capable of staying seated during the duration of the drive. Of course they must meet the minimum height and weight requirements for a booster seat.

Learn to use the tether properly with your forward facing car seat.

There are limits to using the LATCH system. LATCH stands for "Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children." It was developed to help parents more easily install seats in cars and eliminate seatbelt incompatibilities. What you may not know is that the LATCH anchors are currently designed for a maximum combined weight of the child and child seat of 65 lbs.  Once the child + seat exceeds this weight, the seat must be installed using the vehicle seat belt, not LATCH. Depending on the weight of the child seat, your child may weigh quite a bit less than 65 lbs and need to stop using the LATCH.

Moving to a booster

Children should remain in a booster seat until the vehicle's lap and shoulder seat belt fits them properly.

This is generally between 10 and 12 years of age and about 4 foot 9 inches, but varies based on the size of the vehicle's seat.

Everyone should always use the vehicle's seat belt (or car seat harness) when riding.

Have your kids take the 5 Step Test to see if kids can safely ride without a booster.

Sitting up front

Only teens and adults should sit in the front seat. It's always safer in the back seat.

If you look at the sticker on the passenger side visor, it will say something to the effect that children 12 and under are safer in the back seat. That means wait until 13 years of age to sit up front.

Airbags can be dangerous if a passenger is too short for it to hit properly in the chest. The force of the airbag can cause significant injury to the face or neck. If the airbag is turned off, the passenger is at risk of hitting the dashboard or being ejected from the car.

Even big kids don't have the muscle or bone strength to be safe up front. They aren't mini-adults.

Winter safety

In the winter months it's important to avoid over bundling infants and children in car seats.

The added layers and padding of clothing can increase the amount a child can move in the force of a crash or sudden stop. The Car Seat Lady has great tips to keep kids warm and safe in the cold weather.

Car seat additions and accessories

Don't use car seat attachments and accessories that were not sold with the seat. They may look cute or seem to make your child more comfortable, but if they haven't been tested with the seat they may not be safe.

This includes neck rolls, shoulder pads, winter covers that go between the child and the seat, dangling toys, and more.

If you're in an accident and have these additions they might void the warranty of the seat.

What if kids try to escape the car seat?

Do you have a Houdini? If your toddler or preschooler is able to weasel out of the car seat harness, try this button down shirt trick.

How can you be sure your kids are buckled correctly?

Take your kids to a certified car seat installer to see if they're buckled in properly. Car Seats for the Littles has information about how to find an installer near you.

Register your car seats so you can be alerted if they are recalled.

Identification Stickers

Car Seat Stickers are a great way to notify first responders who to call if you've been in an accident and aren't able to communicate.

I recommend putting them under the cloth part of infant seats so they aren't visible when you're carrying the seat in public. You can put a small sticker on the handle to let emergency personnel know to look under the padding for emergency contact information.

Once kids are out of the infant seat you can put the sticker on the outside of the seat, just not over any important information. Never cover the height/weight max information or other things you'll want to see later.

My office gives stickers from the W.H.A.L.E. Program to patients, but you can print your own at home and attach them to your seat with wide clear tape. Information to include would be:

  • Child's name, birth date, address, allergies, important health history, medications

  • Parent's names and phone numbers (cell and work)

  • One emergency contact name and phone number (not a parent)

  • Doctor's name and number

  • Childcare provider name and number if applicable

After an accident

Remember that if you're in an accident, your car seats might need to be replaced. Talk to your insurance company.

Used car seats

  • Be sure to know when your seats expire. The seats typically expire about 6 years after manufacturing. This is due to unseen breakdown in the materials used to make the seat.

  • Never buy a used seat from someone you do not know. A friend should verify that it hasn't been in an accident and it's not expired before you use it.

  • Don't just throw your old car seat away. Someone might try to use it past its expiration date. You can break it down into pieces to make it unusable or you can see if you can recycle it.

Just for fun...

The model in the top photo is my daughter at a car seat check many years ago. She now is (hopefully) a safe driver herself.

The original car seat safety blog was on by old blogspot site.

Teen Safe Driving Tips will be covered in another blog... coming June 2018!

Teen safe driving tips will be covered in a June 2018 blog. Watch for it if you have new drivers!

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