By Susanna Schenk, Family Engagement Associate at EPIC – Every Person Influences Children Every parent’s number one concern is keeping their child safe and healthy. At the same time many parents unknowingly risk serious injury or death to their child each time they put their child in the car...
By Susanna Schenk, Family Engagement Associate at EPIC – Every Person Influences Children
Every parent’s number one concern is keeping their child safe and healthy. At the same time many parents unknowingly risk serious injury or death to their child each time they put their child in the car. In the United States, car accidents are the number-one cause of death among children ages 4 to 12 and the number-two cause of death among children ages 1 to 4. Studies done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), among other organizations, show that the best way to decrease the risk of injury and death for children is to properly install and use the appropriate car seat for your child.
As part of EPIC’s new car seat safety program, we would like to share with you a couple tips on ensuring that your child is in the right car seat, that the seat is installed properly and used correctly every time you put your most precious cargo into a car.
• Read the instructions. EVERY car seat comes with (and should have) an instruction manual and labels on each side of the seat. These items provide you with manufacturer information, height and weight requirements and installation instructions. This IMPORTANT information will guide you in selecting the right seat and installing and using it the right way.
• Is it the right size? Make sure the car seat is the right size – refer to your manual or the seat labels for the height and weight requirements. Your child should NEVER exceed those amounts.
• Don’t move an inch. Once installed, the seat should NOT move more than an inch front to back, side to side.
• Location check! Be aware of where your air bags are and NEVER put a rear-facing car seat in front of an active air bag.
• Pinch test. If you are pinching extra strap material on the harness, it is NOT tight enough and needs to be adjusted.
• Armpit check. The chest clip should set between your child’s armpits – not higher, not lower.
• The harness straps should not be twisted, ripped or WASHED. If ripped, or washed (unless the user manual instructs washing), the seat will need to be replaced.
• Seat belt or LATCH system (Lower Anchors & Tethers for Children). You will have a choice of using the seat belt to secure the seat or the lower anchors. Your auto manual will tell you where the anchor attachments are in your car (in newer cars there are also symbols on the seats). NEVER USE BOTH SYSTEMS.
• Tether is better. Don’t forget the tether for forward-facing seats. A tether connector reduces forward and side movements, keeping your child safer.
• Take coats off! There should be nothing between the child and the buckle. Coats compress in a crash and the slack in the harness could cause injury to your child. A small child can even be thrown from their seat in a crash once the coat compresses down. ANYTHING BULKY SHOULD BE OUTSIDE OF THE HARNESS.
• Watch out for flying objects. If an object is not secured it is free to fly about it can hit someone in an event of a crash.
• EVERYONE should be buckled up!
If you have any questions about your car seat, or would like to have it checked, please call 716-332-4130, or refer to www.epicforchildren.org for any upcoming car seat safety events.