Did you know that four out of five child safety seats are installed incorrectly and, according to statistics, properly installing car seats can reduce the risk of a fatality by up to 71 percent? Small changes can make a big difference in your child’s safety, so follow these simple tips from Safe Kids Worldwide if you want to protect your most precious cargo.
Make sure you use the right seating position. Check the car seat label to see which spot in the backseat of your car should be used for your child safety or booster seat; this is dependent on factors like child height, weight and age. Also note the expiration date of the car seat and discontinuing using it following this date.
Don’t allow your kids to ride up front until ready. It’s recommended that children continue to ride in the back seat until they turn 13 years old, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.
Keep using a rear-facing child seat. Until your child is around the age of 2, you should have them travel in a rear-facing car seat. Once your child has outgrown the seat, move them up to a forward-facing model.
Buying a used car seat? Don’t spend your money unless the seller can verify that the seat has not been involved in a crash, which basically means you would have to buy one from someone you know and trust. If the seat has been in an accident, it should not be purchased.
Perform Inch and Pinch Tests. When you have your child safety seat installed, shake it front to back and left to right. If you notice that it moves more than an inch in either direction, strap the seat in more tightly. Once you have your child in the seat, pinch the strap located by your child’s shoulder. If you are able to gather the material between your fingers at all, tighten the strap.
Find a child safety seat inspection station. Several are located in the Atlanta area. Click here to find a station near you.
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