Car Seat Safety Tips

How Tos

By: ladym33 20-Feb-2011

Introduction:

Car seats save lives but it is important to know how to use them properly.

Infant Seats Face Backwards and In the Back Seat

Infant Seats should never be put in the front seat of a vehicle. They should be placed in the back seat and the child should be placed in the car seat facing the chair, in other words, backwards, not front wards. There are other reasons for that but one good reason you place the child backwards is because it that age they have very little neck strength. In an accident a forward facing passenger's body tends to jerk forward, and the head and neck are jerked forward as well. Having the child face backwards helps this to not occur.

Place Carrying Bar Down

In infant seats the carrying bar should be pushed down when you place the car seat in the car. It should not be up above the baby's head. There have been accidents, where some babies flew up out of the car seat a few inches and banged their head on the carrying bar. This could result in a serious or even fatal injury.

Older Kids Car Seats Should Also Be Placed In Back

Regular car seats the ones for use up to 45 pounds should never be placed in the front seat either. This is especially true in cars with front air bags. If the air bag does come out the child will be trapped between the car seat and the air bag. Also there is a danger for anyone under 5 feet tall sitting in a car with an air bag of possible decapitation by the air bag. Some car companies have fixed this problem, but don't take chances.

Always check to make sure the seat belt is still locked and that the car seat is still locked into place. A car seat that is not locked in to place by the seat belt can propel forward harder than a child that is not in a car seat.

Older Kids Should Sit In Booster Seats

Seat belts on a child can be dangerous alone because of where they are located on a child's stomach. Once a child is over 45 pounds they should sit in a booster seat. The booster seat will keep them higher up and put the seat belt in a safer place on their body and keep the seat belt from going in to them upon impact.

Kids Under 12 or Under 5 Feet Tall Should Ride In Back

Even though and older child may be too big for a car seat or a booster seat it does not mean that it is safe for them to ride in the front. When an air bag is activated it can pause a safety hazard for anyone under 5 feet tall.

Having a child in the front passenger seat can also be distracting to the driver.

Give this list a high five!

Comments

Post a Comment

dashboardc33 2/7/2012
Flag This Comment

Very informative!
LarajaneN 3/22/2011
Flag This Comment

Most individuals with a pet have driven with them at least once. Most pet owners drive their automobiles without belting in the animal very often. Pet restraint systems are only used about 17 percent of the time. A recent study, however, found that a loose animal is as distracting as a mobile phone.
clewand550 2/21/2011
Flag This Comment

Awesome informative list. Well done list on safety for all kids when riding in the car. Great job!
hummingbirdee 2/21/2011
Flag This Comment

I wish all people with children would read this great list. Seat belt safety is so very important.
goodselfme 2/21/2011
Flag This Comment

Great list of safety tips for car seats.
snowfence 2/20/2011
Flag This Comment

Thanks for the tips! H5!