Car Seat Safety!

This information is strait from Baby Your Baby's website. Keep those little kiddies safe!

Car Seats

One of the easiest ways to protect our children is to buckle them up every time they are in the car. But too many parents, grandparents, and others allow infants to ride unprotected in cars and trucks. Make sure your baby always rides in an approved car safety seat. Teach grandparents and others

The safest car seat for your child is the one that fits him or her properly and is installed correctly. Here are a few general guidelines:

Birth to 20 pounds/ 1 year.

• Use a rear-facing infant safety seat. Some manufacturers now offer seats that have a higher weight limit, making it easier for you to keep your child in a rear-facing seat for the full first year.

20 to 40 pounds/ 1 to 4 years.

• Use a forward-facing child safety seat. A convertible seat can be changed from the rear-facing to the forward-facing position once your child has reached the rear-facing weight limit and is at least 1 year of age. Once your child has reached the weight limit on their forward-facing or convertible safety seat, or their ears line up with the top of the car seat, it is time to transition into a belt-positioning booster seat.

40 to 80 pounds/ 4 years of age and older.

• Use a belt-positioning booster child safety seat. A belt-positioning booster seat raises your child so that the lap and shoulder belt fit properly, while protecting the child’s head and upper body. Be aware that a different type of booster seat called a “shield booster” is not approved for children more than 40 pounds.

80 pounds and over/ 4’9” and taller.

• When children are able to sit with their feet on the ground, back straight against the back seat cushion, and knees over the edge of the seat cushion without slouching, it is time for them to use a seat belt. The lap belt should lie on their hips, rather than their stomach and the shoulder belt should fit across the shoulder, not the neck or throat. Both the lap AND the shoulder belt should always be used.

A few additional tips to remember...

• Always use a car seat, starting with your baby’s first ride home from the hospital, and always use your own seat belt.
• Read the car seat manufacturer’s instructions and always keep them with the car seat.
• Read your vehicle owner’s manual for important information on how to install the car seat correctly in your vehicle.
• It is always safest to have children ride in the back seat of the car.
• Never place a back-facing car seat in the front seat of a car that has airbags.
• Never have children share seat belts.

Do NOT use a car seat that:

• Is too old. Look on the label for the date it was made. If it is more than 10 years old, it should not be used. Some manufacturers recommend that car safety seats only be used for 5 to 6 years. Check with the manufacturer to find out how long the company recommends using their seat.
• Was in a crash. It may have been weakened and should not be used, even if it looks fine.
• Does not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number. Without these, you cannot check on recalls.
• Does not come with instructions. You need them to know how to use the car seat.
• Has any cracks in the frame of the seat
• Is missing parts. Used car seats often come without important parts. Check with the manufacturer to make sure you can get the right parts.
• Has been recalled. You can find out by calling the manufacturer or the Car Seat Recall Hot line at 1-800-424-9393.

Resources:

The following websites are excellent for additional information concerning child restraint seats. They provide great information to parents & caregivers looking for more information. They are as follows: www.safekids.org www.carseat.org www.tweensafety.org The following three agencies listed below are the best for parents to contact in the Salt Lake area to find out if they have their car seats installed correctly and if they want to have it checked. Salt Lake Valley Health Dept. 788 East Woodoak Lane (5380 South) Murray, Utah 313-6607 or 313-6684 Spanish translation available Primary Children's Medical Center 100 North Medical Drive Salt Lake City, Utah 662-Cars (2277) Spanish translation available Utah Highway Safety Office 3888 West 5400 South Taylorsville, Utah 957-8570