As we enter a new year I wanted to take this chance to share some tips and tricks to keep your children safe and secure on the roads. Both Jeanna and I are extremely passionate about car seat safety, we believe that with proper research and education, you can work to keep your kids as safe as possible.
Car Seat Safety is a Passion of ours & we want to share these easy tips with you to keep your children safe in 2016!!
Below are five useful tips from Ryan Hawker, a Child Passenger Safety Technician and Car Seat Safety Expert for Safety 1st. I’ve added to these tips some of our personal experiences and I am very excited to share them with you. Seeing as it’s a new year it’s a great time to check on your car seat settings, instillation techniques, and overall car seat safety.
Tip #1 – Don’t Turn Them Around
Keep your child rear facing as long as possible! According to a study in the Journal of Injury Prevention, children under the age of two are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in the event of a car crash if they are rear facing. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that children remain rear facing as long as allowed by your car seat’s height, weight and other criteria.
In doing our own research, it is important to note that your child can rear face a lot longer then you think that they can – and they really should!! Gradie is now 2.5 and has never faced forward, she’s seen her cousins forward facing and has never asked to be flipped (which is a reason we often hear as to why parents flip their kids around), also her legs are starting to get a tad longer, granted she is a small child, but she doesn’t complain at all about her legs being uncomfortable. Rear facing is the norm for Gradie and it can be or your child too!
If you have an older child, boosters are extremely important. Most states require a child to be in a booster until 8 years old, as they have been proven to reduce the risk of serious injury by 45%, according to Safe Kids.
Tip #2 – Car Seat Installation 1-o-1
Remember thinking that we have little control over what could happen to our kids (and ourselves), but having your car seat incorrectly installed is something that is entirely in your own control. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 75% of car seats are installed incorrectly.
If you are not sure, check! Remember, every car and car seat has different requirements for safe installation, so it’s important to read both the car seat and car manual. Car seats are not a one size fits all kind of product and all parents should put in the time to determine what the best seat is for their vehicle.
It’s very important to know that when you are installing your child’s car seat you need to use either the LATCH or the seat belt. Do not use both! The seat belt is a very effective way to install a car seat but LATCH was developed to provide another option for parents that find it challenging to properly install a child restraint with the seat belt. Once you have the car seat installed make sure it does not move more than one-inch side to side. If you are still unsure if you’ve done it right, check in with a local Child Passenger Safety Technician before you hit the road.
You can visit a local police station, fire station, AAA office or Safe Kids Chapter for guidance. You can head over to seatcheck.org to find a location near your home (I found 94 locations near my zip code where I can get help to ensure my daughters car seat is correctly installed.)
Tip #3 – Securing Your Child
This may seem like a no-brainer. However, during the winter months, securing your child can be a little trickier. Often, parents strap their children in with their bulky winter coatsstill on. However, a new crash test that aired on the Today Show (<<< seriously, watch this video!!) demonstrated how a secure dummy (meant to represent a small child) went hurtling out of a car seat because the winter jacket obstructed it from being fastened securely.
It’s recommended that you remove the child’s jacket before securing him or her. If you’re worried about the child being too cold, turn up the heat and, once buckled, put a blanket over the car seat. It may seem like a hassle, but it’s an extra step that can save a life.
In our little family we have blankets in our vehicle to place on Gradie once she is securely buckled in, and we use that blanket to cover her up to run into the building. We’ve made a game of it now, she gets really excited to get covered up and run into the building. Remember we live in Minnesota, where it’s (below) freezing often so trust me, it is still completely possible!!
Tip #4 – Car Seats do Expire
It’s something you rarely think about, but car seats expire! You can find the expiration date on the back or the side of the car seat. Additionally, if a car seat has been in a crash you should not use it. Plastic can warp, materials can fray and the car seat will not protect a child correctly. This also means that you should avoid used car seats. The history of a car seat tells a lot about its ability to protect on the road ahead. If you don’t know where it has been, you don’t know if it can protect your child.
To recycle a car seat, check with your local waste management facility to see if they recycle number 5 plastic. You can also trade in your old car seats at some baby stores at certain times during the year to get a discount on a new car seat – it might be worth checking out.
Tip #5 – Lead by Example
Children don’t always do what they’re told but they often mimic what they observe. According to Safe Ride 4 Kids, almost 40% of children riding in vehicles with unbelted drivers were not wearing belt restraints at the time of an accident. Set a good example and always use your seatbelt.
Also never text while driving! Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded (Distraction.gov)! Always put your purse, wallet and/or phone on the floor in front of your baby. Not only will it prevent you from using it while in the vehicle with your child, but you’ll never forget to leave the baby in the car – WIN, WIN right?!
Car seats have improved a lot since mine were babies!
I must agree car seats hav improved sho much since my children were small. One thing I never knew was that car seats expired. I am going to make sure to show my daughter this very helpful information on car seats. Thank you so much for such an informative blog.
Car seat safety is so important! There is so much misinformation out there. Thank you 🙂
This is such a great blog post, great information! It’s amazing how much this has changed since my son was in a carseat, nearly 30 years ago.
These are excellent tips. Thanks for the reminder.
This section of your blog is SO helpful, thank you! Car seats have changed so much since I was a wee lass 🙂
These are great tips, I’ve read about the tip that the harness straps shouldn’t be able to be pinched due to extra slack and that’s how you know they’re tight enough.