Child Safety for Your Vehicle

When it comes to the safety of our children, most people take great measure to ensure their kids are safe. If this is the case, then why are almost all child safety seats installed or used incorrectly? Sadly, children are seriously injured or killed every day in automotive accidents. Most of these incidents could be avoided if the child safety seats and safety belts had been used. Even though seat belt safety is common knowledge, many people still do not use the safety system on themselves or their children. This leads to children not using seat belts when they are old enough to strap themselves in, or possibly using the seat belt in an incorrect position. Parents should always ask their local fire department or police department for free instructions on how to properly install and use their child safety seats. These departments have all of the latest information on new and old vehicles and car seat models.

There are rules that must always be followed no matter what type of car seat you use. Never put an infant child seat in the front seat of a car. If you must use the front seat, disable the passenger side air bag. The safest place for an infant seat is in the back seat because infant seats must face the rear. If put in the front seat air bag deployment will hit the seat and seriously injure or kill the infant. The most common car wreck is a head-on collision, which is very dangerous for infants and children. They are safest in the back seat which is farther away from the point of impact, but if your child must ride in the front seat, move the seat into the furthest position away from the dash. If the seat belt in your vehicle does not fit your child properly, he or she may still be too small to use only a seat belt and should be put into a child safety seat. Even in the back seat children must be properly restrained using properly fitting equipment. When installing any type of child safety seat, follow the directions closely, including your vehicle's owner manual. A safety seat will not work if it is not installed correctly.

Infants weighing less than twenty pounds and are under a year in age must be in a rear facing infant seat or rear facing convertible car seat. Convertible car seats can be rear facing or infants, but then can be faced forward for children weighing between twenty and forty pounds. The next step is a booster seat which is used for children who do not yet fit into a seat belt properly. When installing any of these restraint in your vehicle make sure the seat belt in the car is properly tightened to securely hold the safety seat. After installment, the safety seat should not be able to move or shift around.

Infants and children are more fragile than adults; therefore they need proper safety precautions taken to keep them safe. Follow all directions closely while installing any type of child safety system.