| In 1995, 1,340
children less than 13 years of age were killed as passengers in motor vehicle accidents
according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Currently, about
75 percent of people use safety seats. If child safety seats were used for all children
age four years and under, it is estimated that 50,000 serious injuries and 455 deaths
could be eliminated each year. Children need child safety seats because they save lives. Legally Required
All 50 states have laws requiring the use of child safety
restraints. Although child safety restraints can save lives, they can also endanger life
if not used properly. The following are guidelines for keeping your child safe:NEVER put a child safety seat on the passenger side of a
car equipped with passenger side air bags. Place children in their child safety restraints
in the rear seat.
Properly secure the child in the car seat using a
shoulder/lap belt that is correct for the child's size. NEVER allow toddlers to buckle
their own car seat device. Even if they seem to have mastered this, you should check each
time to make sure that they are securely restrained.
NEVER allow children to ride in the cargo area of a pickup
truck or any other area that lacks proper restraints.
NEVER allow more than one child to be restrained by a single
belt. One person - one belt.
ALWAYS use child safety restraints even on short trips. About
75 percent of all auto crashes occur within 25 miles of home.
ALWAYS use a car seat that properly fits your child.
If a child must ride in the front seat due to an emergency,
move the vehicle seat as far back as possible, away from the air bag.
Positioning the Child
The rear-facing child seat should always go in the back seat for
babies less than one year of age or less than 20 pounds in weight. Children over 20 pounds
and over one year of age should ride facing forward. At about 40 pounds or 4 years of age,
your child may no longer fit in the safety seat. Once your child has outgrown a child
safety seat, he should use a lap and a shoulder belt restraint. If no shoulder restraint
belt is available, then just a lap belt should be used. The middle of the rear seat is the
safest position for children.
Used Car Seats
Find out the history of the car seat you are considering. If it
has been in an accident, dropped, or is cracked, it may not work properly and should not
be used. Check the condition of the car seat. If it is weakened, it may not protect the
child properly. See if the car seat is currently available in stores. This is almost a
guarantee that the car seat is of the type of construction that is still recommended.
Safety Checklist
Be sure that your child's car seat is appropriate for your
child's size and will protect her in an emergency. The following are a few of the
questions that you should ask yourself about your child's car seat.
- Has your child's car seat been recalled? Call the U.S.
Department of Transportation Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-424-9393 to check this.
- Do you have instructions for the car seat? Make sure you
understand and follow them.
- Have you submitted the car seat registration? If you do not,
the company cannot notify you in case of a recall.
- Does the harness of the car seat keep your child secured? The
harness should stay on your child's shoulders. Adjusting the retainer clip to the level of
the armpit helps.
- Is the auto seat belt in the correct position and following
the proper path?
Plainly Speaking
Motor vehicle accidents cause more infant and small child deaths
than any other category of accident. Child restraint devices protect your child and reduce
their risk of serious injury and death. However, you must properly use the restraint every
time you take your child in the car.
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Car Seats