Keep Kids Safe on The Road: Essential car seat tips you need to know
3-minute
read
Installing car
seats properly is one of the most important ways to protect children while
driving, yet nearly half of all car seats are installed incorrectly, putting
kids at risk.
According to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46%
of car seats have been installed incorrectly. When a car seat isn't
installed correctly, it can significantly reduce its ability to protect a child
in the event of a crash.
Common mistakes
people make when installing car seats can range from minor problems to
potentially deadly errors. Here are some of the most frequent issues:
- Incorrect recline: Incorrect recline can cause a
child to slump forward, which not only makes them uncomfortable but also
affects the car seat's ability to protect their head and neck during a
crash.
- Loose installation: Loose installation allows the car
seat to move too much during a crash, reducing its effectiveness in
keeping children securely in place and safe.
- Improper lap belt positioning: If the lap belt is positioned too
high across a child's stomach instead of their hips, it can cause serious
internal injuries in the event of a crash.
These mistakes
reduce a car seat's ability to keep children safe, and in some cases, they
could even lead to serious injury. Having your car seat installation checked
can protect children and reduce the impact of potential accidents.
Winter car seat
safety tips
It's important to think about how winter clothing can affect a child's car seat
safety. It might be tempting to bundle your little one up in a thick coat, but
that can actually be dangerous. When a child wears a bulky coat in a car seat,
the straps might not fit properly, and in the event of a crash, the extra space
can allow the child to be thrown around more than they should be.
Here are some
winter car seat safety tips:
- Don't put your child in a coat while they're in their car seat.
Instead, use a thin layer like a fleece blanket over the straps.
- Tighten the straps of the car seat harness to fit
snugly over your child's body.
- Use a car seat cover only if it doesn't have an extra
layer under the baby.
- Pack an emergency bag with extra clothes, blankets, and
other essentials. It's always good to be prepared!
Remember, if it
didn't come with the car seat, it hasn't been crash-tested. Using extra items
like blankets or covers that aren't made for your specific seat can affect how
well the car seat protects your child.
How can you
ensure your car seat is properly installed?
We understand that installing a car seat can be tricky. Reid Community Health is
here to partner with you to educate and offer judgement-free car seat
consultations. We employ Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and
our team is available to perform checks that include the following steps:
- We check the installation upon
arrival.
- We take the car seat out and
inspect it to make sure everything is safe.
- We check for any recalls on the car
seat.
- We show you how to correctly
install the seat, so you feel confident doing it yourself.
We also go a
step further and check your vehicle for any recalls that might affect how the
car seat works. Some recalls involve the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) system or the seat belts, which can lead to accidents or make it so the
car seat doesn't work properly. We'll make sure everything is in top shape!
If you're
interested in having your car seat checked, please visit Reid Community
Health.