What You Need To Know About Car Seat Safety

By Kim Proulx

Each year, thousands of young children are seriously injured or killed in car crashes. Because children are so fragile and delicate, air bags will not protect them, as a matter of fact, it can seriously hurt them. Just a simple fender-bender can injure your baby. The only form of protection your baby has against these dangers is a safe and properly installed car seat. Believe it or not, an estimated 80% of car seats are not installed or used correctly. To ensure your car seat is properly installed, here is some helpful information to guide you in the right direction.

Safety Regulations

The age when your child is allowed to ride in a vehicle without a car seat varies from state to state. Typically, your child must be in a rear-facing car seat until 2 years, or until they reach the maximum height and weight requirements stated by the car seat manufacturer. To be absolutely sure, check state requirements for car seat safety regulations and also with the car seat manufacturer for maximum height and weight requirements.

Proper Installation

Car seats must be secured by the vehicle seat belt and/or a LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) system. Lower anchors are located in the back seat where the seat cushions meet and the tethers are typically behind the seat, on the ceiling or floor. If your vehicle and car seat were made on or after September 1, 2002, it will most likely have a LATCH system. For vehicles made before then, you can use the vehicle seat belt to secure the car seat, but to be safe, check the owner's manual to see if you need a locking clip to keep the belt locked into position. When buckling up the baby, always place the harness in a slot that is at or below baby's shoulders. The harness must be snug and the harness clip should be placed at mid-chest level.

Where To Put It

The safest place for the car seat is in the backseat, in the middle area. However, if the backseat car design is not a leveled surface, then the back left or right seat will suffice. But if you have side airbags in the back seat, it is strongly recommended to deactivate them since the deployment can cause serious injury. NEVER place the car seat in the front seat, even if it appears safer because you can keep a close eye on the baby. Consequently it is illegal to do so as the airbag deployment can also cause serious injury or death. Always make sure the car seat is placed at a correct angle so baby's head does not flop forward. Many car seats have angle indicators or adjusters to help you identify the correct angle. You can also use a rolled up towel or firm padding and place it under the base of the car seat where the back and bottom of the vehicle seat meet.

Understanding the proper way to install and use a car seat can save your baby's life. Take the proper measures to ensure your car seat is safe, installed and used properly. If you are unsure and would like an expert opinion, check your local listings to have a Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician inspect your car seat. Taking the extra time to install and use your car seat correctly will be the best decision you make when traveling with baby.

As a side note, you can make life easier by getting a Stokke Xplory Car Seat Adapter by Peg Perego that goes with the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP and SIP 30/30, the Graco Snugride and the Maxi Cosi Mico Car Seats allowing you to easily move your car seat from the car onto an Xplory Stroller. This is a safe way to travel everywhere with your baby.