Car Seat Safety for Babies and Toddlers

Car seats seem self explanatory, but there really is more to it than just buckling up.  According to Safekids.org, 96% of parents believe they install their child safety seat correctly, however 82% of children placed in child safety seats are improperly restrained.

• The car seat strap should be snug, but not too tight.  If you can pinch the strap, then it is too loose.
• The chest clip should be located at the armpit level, not lower than this.
• Many experts recommend not purchasing the extra head pillows and car seat gear that didn’t come with the car seat since it wasn’t tested with it.  If the car seat came with the head pillows and other cushions, then the car seat would have been tested with those products.

Did you know you can have your car seat inspected for free?
Many local fire stations and sheriff departments will inspect your car seat installation for free.  Let’s face it, sometimes manuals can be confusing and we just want to make sure we have it right. Just make a few phone calls to find out where you can have yours inspected.

CarSeatSite has really great information that is easy to understand for installation, types of car seats, and recommendations.

Did you know that car seats have an expiration date? A good rule of thumb is that most car seats have a maximum use life of 6 years, unless the car seat has been in an accident. Therefore you can use the same car seat for multiple children.  Most car seats have the expiration date on the back, sides, or bottom of the car seat.   The information is usually on the plastic and not on a sticker that could be peeled off.  Some manufacturers list their car seats as being good for 10 years, but most only 6.  After the expiration date the straps could become brittle or the seat could be too old to function properly in a crash.

How do you know if a car seat has been recalled?
If you filled out and mailed the product registration card that came with your car seat then you should be informed if your car seat were to ever be recalled.  If you purchased a car secondhand or are borrowing one, then you can find more information about recalls at Safercar.gov. You can also register your car seat to receive these recalls in the future.

Can you use a car seat that has been in a crash?
Depending on the type of crash, a car seat may be used again or may need to be replaced.  Oftentimes the insurance company will include the  replacement cost of the car seat in the accident costs. For more information on determining a car seat that was in a crash:  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

What if you need a car seat but can’t afford one?  Should you buy a used car seat?
I don’t advise purchasing a used car seat since it would be hard to determine if the car seat had been in prior accidents, unless you know the person really well.  There are many government and nonprofit programs that offer inexpensive, yet very good car seats for an affordable price.  Some counties offer car seat safety session and depending on your income, you can receive a car seat that would normally cost $60+ for free or for a bargain price.  Even if you have a decent income, you can still get a price break for purchasing car seats if you attend the session.

Also, a friend told me that her insurance company allowed her to purchase a good car seat through them for only $25 and she was able to purchase more than one at this price.  Being able to do this, she was able to buy car seats for her husband and the grandmother’s car.  The car seat that she had sold for more than $50 in the stores and was one that had good safety ratings.

I know this is a lot of information but the safety of our children is so important.  I hope you found this information helpful.

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