There are common mistakes that parents make when installing and using car seats for their children. Because correctly used car seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent, parents, grandparents and other caregivers must know how to properly utilize car safety seats.
Knowing the proper way to buckle up children as they grow can be confusing. The most common mistakes regarding car seat safety are:
1. Getting a used car seat without researching its history
If considering a used car seat, make sure it:
Comes with instructions and label showing manufacture date and model number
- Hasn’t been recalled
- Isn’t expired or more than 6 years old
- Has no visible damage or missing parts
- Has never been in a moderate or severe crash
2. Placing car seat in wrong spot
The safest place for a child’s car seat is the back seat. If the car seat is placed in front seat and the air bag inflates, it could hit the back of a rear-facing car seat where the child’s head is and cause a serious or fatal injury. Children who ride in a forward-facing car seat could also be harmed by an air bag. If a child must travel in a vehicle with only one row of seats, deactivate front air bags or install a power switch to prevent air bag deployment during a crash.
If placing only one car seat in back seat, install it in the center of seat — if a good fit is possible — rather than by a door
3. Using car seat as a replacement crib
A car seat is designed to protect your child during travel. It should not be used as a crib. Sitting upright in a car seat might compress a newborn’s chest and lead to lower oxygen levels.
Sitting in a car seat for long periods can also contribute to development of a flat spot on the back of baby’s head and worsen gastroesophageal reflux. Additionally, a child can be injured by falling out of an improperly used car seat or while sitting in a car seat that falls from an elevated surface, such as a table.
4. Incorrectly installing car seat or buckling up child
73 percent of car safety seats are improperly installed. Before installation, read manufacturer’s instructions and the car seat section in the vehicle’s owner’s manual. Make sure the seat is tightly secured — allowing no more than 1 inch of movement from side to side or front to back when grasped at the bottom near the attachment points — and facing the correct direction.
If you’re using an infant-only seat or a convertible seat in the rear-facing position, keep these tips in mind:
- Use the harness slots described in the car seat’s instruction manual, usually those at or below the child’s shoulders.
- Place the harness or chest clip even with child’s armpits — not the abdomen or neck. Make sure the straps and harness lie flat against the child’s chest and over his or her hips with no slack. Position the carrying handle according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Reclining child at incorrect angle
Recline the seat in the rear-facing position according to manufacturer’s instructions so that child’s head doesn’t flop forward. Many seats include angle indicators or adjusters. You can also place a tightly rolled towel under the seat’s front edge to achieve the right angle.
To prevent slouching, place tightly rolled baby blankets alongside your newborn. If necessary, place a rolled washcloth between the crotch strap and your baby to prevent slouching. Don’t use any additional products unless they came with the car seat or from the manufacturer
6. Moving to forward-facing car seat too soon
Riding rear facing is recommended until a child reaches age two or the highest weight — typically at least 35 pounds — or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. You can start with a convertible seat, which can be used rear facing or forward facing and typically has a higher rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant-only seat, or switch from an infant-only seat to the convertible variety as your baby grows.
When your child reaches age two or the rear-facing weight or height limit of the convertible seat, you can face the seat forward. When you make the switch:
- Install the car seat in the back seat according to the manufacturer’s instructions, using either the seat belt or Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system.
- Use the tether strap — a strap that hooks to the top of the seat and attaches to an anchor in the vehicle — for extra stability.
- Adjust the harness straps so that they’re threaded at or above your child’s shoulders. Make sure the harness fits snugly.
7. Dressing child in bulky outerwear
Harness straps might not provide enough protection over bulky outerwear. If it’s cold, dress baby in a lightweight jacket and hat. Buckle the harness snugly and tuck a blanket around your baby for warmth.
8. Moving to booster seat too soon
Older children need booster seats to help an adult safety belt fit correctly. Switch from a car seat to a booster seat when your child has topped the highest weight — typically 40-80 pounds — or height allowed by car seat manufacturer. Remember, however, that your child is safest remaining in a car seat with a harness for as long as possible.
9. Incorrectly using booster seat
Booster seats must be used with a lap and shoulder belt — never a lap-only belt. Make sure the lap belt lies low and snug across child’s upper thighs and that the shoulder belt crosses the middle of child’s chest and shoulder.
Backless booster seats also must be used with a lap and shoulder belt — never a lap-only belt. If vehicle has low seat backs or doesn’t have a headrest to protect child’s head and neck in a crash, consider using a high-back booster appropriate for child’s height and weight.
10. Using vehicle safety belt too soon
Most kids can safely use an adult seat belt sometime between ages 8 and 12. Here’s how you’ll know that your child is ready:
- Child reaches a height of 4 feet 9 inches
- Child sits against the back of the seat with knees bent comfortably at the edge of the seat — and can remain that way for the entire trip.
- Lap belt rests flat and snugly across child’s upper thighs, and the shoulder belt rests on the middle of child’s shoulder and chest — not on neck or face.
Make sure the child doesn’t tuck the shoulder belt under his/her arm or behind his/her back.
Remember, the back seat is the safest place for children younger than age 13.
Check with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, www.nhtsa.gov, for help finding a car seat inspection station.
Information provided by http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/car-seat-safety/art-20043939.
Another site with helpful information is https://www.shearcomfort.com/Parents-Guide-Childrens-Car-Seats.asp