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Child safety seats can save lives According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 7,500 lives have been saved by the proper use of child restraints during the past 20 years. As children grow, how they need to be secured in a car, truck, van or SUV changes. For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers simply need to remember and follow these four steps for kids: 1. For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until a minimum of age one and at least 20 pounds. 2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at a minimum age one and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age four and 40 pounds). 3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seat (usually around age four and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age eight or when they are 4'9" tall). 4. When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age eight or when they are 4'9" tall), they can use the adult back seat belt, if it fits properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt across the chest). Some parents or caregivers may regard booster seats as a hassle to use or a pain to convince their children to use. But protecting the ones we love means getting past the temporary complaints and perceived hassles because the lives of children really are at risk. Do it because you love them. Do it because it could save their lives. Make it the law of the car.
The three most common mistakes in installing a child safety seat are not attaching the seat correctly and tightly to the car or truck, not fastening the harness tightly enough and not using the chest clip or using it incorrectly.
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