Child safety seats are most effective when the proper seat is chosen
for the age and weight of your child.
There are 3 basic types of child safety seats:
1. Rear-facing infant-only seats: Designed for
babies from birth to 20 pounds and one year old. If the infant’s
head is more than 1”above the top of the seat, not yet
1 year old but weighs over 20 pounds move the infant to a
convertible seat in the rear facing position. (Make sure that
the harness strap is at or below the baby’s shoulder
level.)
2. Convertible safety seats: These seats
can be used for rear-facing infants and forward facing for
toddlers between one and four years old. When used for infants,
the seat should be rear-facing. This seat is recommended
when the infant has reach 20-22 pounds and their head reaches
above the top of the infant-only seat. When use in the forward
facing direction, the child should weigh between 30 and
40 pounds.
3. Booster seats are used as a transition
by older kids who have outgrown their convertible seat but
not quite ready for the vehicle’s seat belt system.
Booster seats are recommended for children age 4-8, less
than 4’9”, and over 40 lbs. Although not a law
in every state, booster seat are highly recommended for
the safety of this group of children. Check your state laws
to determine their policy on booster seats.
Where to place the child safety seat:
The safest place for the child safety seats is in the back center
seat of car. Never place a child safety seat in the front
where there is an air bag. All children 12 or younger should
be seated in the back seat. The front passenger air bag may
deploy and cause serious injuries and or death a child sitting
in the front seat.
Where there is no back seat, as in many sports cars, trucks
or vans, make sure you turn off the airbag when a child
is a passenger. You can get permission from NHTSA (the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration) for an airbag on/off
switch to de-activate the passenger airbag. Getting perrmission
requires filling out a simple two-page Airbag Switch Application
form and faxing it in to the government (the fax number
is on the form). NHTSA also will give permission for an
airbag switch if you may need to seat a child in front because
there is no room in back (because the seats are full), or
if there is a medical reason to have the child in front
(i.e. if the child has seizures or may need immediate medical
attention). The approval letter from NHTSA takes about two
weeks, once you fax in the completed application. You can
contact Sensible Solutions
LLC for help with the process or to get an
airbag switch installed.
Harness Straps:
Harness straps should fit snugly and untwisted. The top of harness
clip should be at the child’s armpit level. You should
not be able to pinch any slack on the harness strap.
Installing the child safety seat:
Read your vehicle owner’s manual and the child safety
seat manual carefully for specific installing directions.
Usually two persons are recommended to install the seat tightly:
one person to hold down the seat with their body weight while
the other locks the buckle in place. The seat should not move
side-to-side more than 1 inch.
Getting Help installing the child safety seat
Most local police, fire station and hospitals will have information
to locations of local child safety seat checks that help inspect
or install your child safety seat. More than 80 percent of
child safety seats are installed incorrectly. If you have
never installed a child safety seat before, it is recommended
that you take the time to find a location in your area and
get your installation checked. Installing child safety seats
involve so many variables and can be complex even for experienced
parents.
Recalled seats:
Do not buy used child safety seats because you cannot
be certain that it has not been involved in an accident.
Also,
be sure
to send in the warranty cards immediately after buying
your child safety seat for the manufacturer to contact
you if
there
is a recall. Check government sites or the manufacturer’s
web site for recalls. Seats involved in an accident or
recalled
may be less effective or totally ineffective in the occurrence
of an accident.
Always take the time to properly buckle your child to reduce the
risk of serious injury or death. And always drive carefully.
Below are some usefull child safety websites of
interest:
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