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Child Car Seat Safety

Child Car Seat Safety – 3 Mistakes to Avoid

Child car seat safety is of critical importance when transporting children in a vehicle. Driving a block, or across the state, your child's car seat protects them in case of an accident. People, however, can sometimes make simple mistakes with a child car seat - simple mistakes which can cause injury or death.

Mistake #1 – Choosing The Wrong Size

Child car seat safety begins with choosing the right type of car seat for your child's weight or size. Infant seats are typically rated for babies up to twenty-two pounds or twenty-six inches in length. Convertible, or infant-toddler seats, which are designed for use either forward facing or rear facing, are rated for children up to forty pounds. Booster seats come in two main types. The first is for children between thirty and sixty pounds. The second is for children between thirty and eighty pounds.

Mistake #2 – Improper Installation

If the child car seat is not installed properly there’s a good chance it will not protect your child during an accident. Proper installation is critical for child car seat safety. Experts recommend installing infant car seats in the center of the back seat. It should face the rear of the vehicle until the child's first birthday or until they’ve exceeded the weight or length limits of the infant car seat.

After the child's first birthday, a forward facing child car seat or booster can be used. It can also be positioned anywhere in the back seat, although the ideal spot for best child car seat safety is still the middle seat. Don’t let your children ride in the front seat, with or without a car seat or booster.

Finally, brands vary somewhat in how they are installed, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions provided with your car seat for the best child car seat safety.

Mistake #3 – Forgetting to Buckle Up

Sometimes during the rush to get your child in the car and get under way you can forget to buckle your child into their seat, or you may connect their harness but forget to tighten it properly. It’s a good habit to double check you’ve correctly secured your child in their seat before driving.

Also, check to make sure the child car seat itself is still buckled in. If you have people riding in the back seat often they may have accidentally unbuckled the seat belt securing the child car seat. Remember, no matter how short a distance you’re driving always buckle your child into their car seat.

Want to Know More?

	Don't know about LATCH? To learn about it, click here for LATCH information.
	Wondering about your state's child safety seat laws? Click here for child safety seat law information.
	Would you like to see the NHTSA ratings? Check our Useful Links page for the location of child safety seat law information.

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