ARE YOU USING THE CORRECT CAR SEAT, CORRECTLY?

If you are not 110% certain that you’re using the correct car seat, correctly, I encourage you to read through this post where I answer three of the most common car seat safety questions from parents.

The time investment is low and the reward of a life saved is priceless!

A QUICK INTRODUCTION

I am the father of three amazing children. There’s no question that I want what’s best for them and would do anything to keep them safe. However, I have to admit that, until recently, I ignored one of the biggest threats to their safety.

In the countdown to my first child’s birth, I thought about a lot of things:

Will I be a good dad?
Should I start a college fund now?
Do we need to get a bigger vehicle?

One thing that never crossed my mind was car seat safety. That was a facet of parenting I figured I would leave up to my wife or figure out as I went along.

It wasn’t until I became a National Child Passenger Safety Technician for work that I realized how much is at stake.

I had no idea that, on average, three children are killed and an estimated 487 are injured every day in traffic crashes. That’s nearly 1,100 kids killed every year!

More staggering still is the fact that many of these fatalities were the result of car seat misuse.

While vehicles and car seats are safer now than ever before, a child safety seat is only as good as its installation and use.

So, let’s take a closer look and answer these three questions:

1. Which car seat is best for my child?
2. Should my child be rear-facing or forward-facing?
3. What’s the best way to secure my child’s car seat?

WHICH CAR SEAT IS BEST FOR MY CHILD?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the car seat choices on the market. They come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and often promise some “groundbreaking” technology that will keep your child safer.

Well, here’s the reality:

All car seats and booster seats manufactured for the U.S. market are required to meet the same federal standards. Most of the added flair and functionality are primarily designed for ease of installation, weight reduction, or versatility.

The true test of whether a car seat is the right one for you is pretty simple:

• Is it age-appropriate?
• Does it support your child’s weight and height?
• Is your child developmentally ready for the seat?
• Does it fit in your vehicle properly?

NHTSA puts it this way:
“The best car seat is the one that fits the child, fits the vehicle, and that the caregiver can use correctly every time.”

Armed with these principles, you can focus on finding the style of seat that’s going to best serve you and your child. There are six primary styles of seat. Again, this can seem a little overwhelming, but it’s pretty simple. The six styles are:

• Rear-facing only (Infant carriers)
• Convertible (Rear and forward-facing)
• Forward-facing only
• Combination (Forward-facing and booster)
• All-in-one (Rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster)
• Booster seats

In the next section, I’ll cover rear-facing and forward-facing to help you further narrow your search!

SHOULD MY CHILD BE REAR-FACING OR FORWARD-FACING?

– When you bring your child home from the hospital – Rear-facing

– When you want to see your infant while you’re driving and are tempted to turn the seat around – Rear-facing

– When your child celebrates their first birthday – Rear-facing

– When your child turns two and Florida law says it’s ok to face forward – Rear-facing

– When your child complains about being backward or their legs start to touch the seatback – Rear-facing.

That may seem a little extreme, but the best practice is to keep your child rear-facing until they have reached the maximum weight or height limits for your rear-facing seat.

The reason is simple. Little bodies aren’t designed to handle the forces experienced in a vehicle crash. A rear-facing seat is designed to support the head and neck of an infant or young child in an accident.

When rear-facing, the head and neck will move together with the car seat. This distributes the crash forces across the shell of the car seat and reduces strain on the child.

While Florida State Law says you can flip the seat around when a child turns two, this doesn’t take into account the child’s weight, height, and developmental status.

If your child isn’t ready to be forward-facing, there’s no harm in waiting. There’s no downside and it may prevent injury or death.

Once your child is forward-facing, the seat’s weight and height limits should be followed. Ideally, your child would remain in a forward-facing harness seat until they have reached the maximum limits for that seat.

However, again, Florida law lags behind best practices when it comes to moving a child to a booster or seat belt. The law states that when a child turns six they can sit in the backseat, restrained by a seat belt only.

We advise against this, as seat belts are designed for adults and can actually cause serious injuries to children. Once a child has maxed out their forward-facing car seat, it’s time to move them to a booster or convert your current seat into its booster configuration. This puts the child up high enough for the seat belt to work safely and effectively.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO SECURE MY CHILD’S CAR SEAT?

Securing your car seat is another aspect that seems a bit more confusing than it actually is. Let’s break down the three restraint types and clarify how and when they’re used.

Seat Belt
Every non-commercial vehicle is required to have them. The seat belt can be used to restrain any style of car seat, car seat base, or booster seat. The seat belt should not be used in conjunction with lower anchors unless the manufacturer says otherwise.

The position of the seat belt, or belt path, is going to vary depending on the seat and whether it’s forward or rear-facing. Always follow the instructions on the seat to determine the belt path.

Use cases
With a rear-facing infant carrier (as an alternative to lower anchors, to secure the base or carrier)
With a rear-facing seat when the child’s weight is under the limit specified by the manufacturer

• With a front-facing seat up to recommended weight WITH the top tether anchor
• To secure a booster seat
• To secure older children who meet seat belt requirements

Lower Anchors

In the early 2000s, regulation was passed requiring all new vehicles to include lower anchors and tether anchors. This combination of lower anchors and tether anchor is referred to as LATCH.

Lower anchors are the metal loops found at the base of a vehicle’s seats.

Tether anchors are usually found on the backside of a seat, on the floor in the rear, or just behind the headrests.

Today’s car seats are required to include lower anchor connectors and a top tether connector.

Lower anchors do have a weight limit. You should always consult your manual for both the car seat and your vehicle for specific guidelines. If your car seat manual says the limit is 45 lbs, but your vehicle says 65 lbs, it’s best to go with the lowest of the two.

Use cases

To secure an infant carrier or other rear-facing car seat when combined weight is under 65 lbs (consult manufacturer’s labels for weight limit)
In addition to top tether anchor to secure a forward-facing seat under a combined weight of 65 lbs

Note: Lower anchors should not be used in conjunction with a seat belt unless the manufacturer states otherwise.

Top Tether Anchor

Whether it’s as a part of the LATCH system or in addition to the seat belt, the top tether should always be used with a front-facing car seat. In the event of a crash, the tether reduces the forward movement of a child’s head by 4-6 inches and it can help to make the seat more stable.

Use Cases:

In addition to lower anchors to secure a front-facing seat with a combined weight of less than 65 lbs
In addition to a seat belt to secure a front-facing seat with a combined weight of more than 65 lbs

SUMMING IT ALL UP

The guidelines listed above are just a few of the things to consider when securing your children. This may seem like a lot of rules to follow. It may be tempting to say “My parents didn’t do all of this and I survived.” That’s clearly true, but how many weren’t as lucky?

Once you know what to do, it doesn’t take long to properly install a seat and secure your kids. It’s a few extra minutes that could prevent a lifetime of pain and regret.

If you have more questions about child passenger safety, or you would like to schedule a car seat safety check — we’re here to help. It’s a complimentary, judgment-free service that only takes a few minutes.

To schedule, call or text (423) 424-9301 and ask for Jeremy Rowland.