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Protecting your precious cargo: Is your grandchild’s car seat safe?
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Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary
Safe Kids USA says motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of unintentional injury-related death for all children 14 and under. The good news is that correct use of car seats and boosters saves lives. Infant and toddler car seats, used correctly, have been shown to reduce fatal injury by 71% and 54%, respectively.
Over the weekend, however, government crash test results on 31 infant car seats (2008 models) were reported in the Chicago Tribune and aired by Cleveland’s Fox8, and the news is alarming. In the test video, the infant car seat base detached and the belted baby dummy smashed its head against the back of the driver’s seat.
I drive with my grandchildren properly strapped into their car seats all the time, thinking I’m doing my best to keep them safe, but this video is a reality check and demonstrates that there are obvious flaws in current safety standards.
Fortunately, the new Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, has responded quickly to the findings and has ordered a “complete top to bottom review of child safety-seat regulations.”
So what does this all mean to parents and grandparents? We need to do a better job of protecting our precious cargo. Here are ten timely tips to help:
Top 10 Car-Safety Tips to Protect Our Kids
1. Children aged 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.
2. Infants should ride facing the back seat for as long as possible -- at least until they outgrow the car seat manufacturer’s guidelines.
3. Children should always be properly harnessed and buckled into their car seats, even on short rides. If you’re traveling, check with your car rental agency to see if they provide car seats. If not, bring your own.
4. Safety belts should fit snuggly and comfortably, but not too tight. Now is not a good time to leave extra wiggle room.
5. For children old enough AND big enough to ride in booster seats, the safety belt should pass across their sternum (not their neck) and low across their upper thigh (not their abdomen.)
6. If you already have a car seat, make an appointment to check your car seats free by any one of these NHTSA certified child passenger safety technicians located in your neighborhood.
7. When buying car seats, do your homework. Consult Consumer Reports or other buying guides to ensure you get the car seat best suited to your grandchild’s age and weight, your car, and your pocketbook.
8. Once you’ve selected the right car seat for you, read the car seat manual and follow instructions for installation.
9. Directions on some models can get pretty confusing, so you may want to have your infant car seats installed by experts. Many local fire departments have scheduled days to help you. Here’s a list of Ohio Child and Infant Car Seat Safety Inspection Stations, listed alphabetically by community.
10. State regulations vary widely in age requirements, seating positions, and enforcement penalties, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the law.
In light of the recent report, going above and beyond these recommendations can’t hurt. Drive safely and buckle up.
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