Car Seat Safety for Infants and Kids: What Parents Need to Know

In the US, car crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. While car accidents are usually unavoidable, what many parents may not know is that child injury during vehicle accidents can be significantly decreased or deterred by the proper use of car safety seats. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 80% of all child car safety seats and restraints are used incorrectly; car seat manufacturer Clek puts this figure as high as 92%.

The bottom line is that many child injuries resulting from car crashes could be lessened or avoided if parents observed car seat safety procedures more strictly. For example, children between 4 and 7 who sit in booster seats have a 59% lower risk of injury during a car accident than children using safety belts alone.

To make sure your children are best protected while riding in the car, children need to be using the most age appropriate car seat safety device. Local auto body and collision repair shops are experts on child car seat safety, and may offer free inspections and tips for safe car seat use.

Infants (birth to 1 year and/or 20 lbs) - Keep children under twelve months in an age-appropriate safety seat installed in the back seat, facing backwards. Infants should be kept in this backwards facing position as long as they are able to, until they outgrow the safety seat's height/weight limit.

Toddlers (1 year/20 lbs to 4 years/40lbs) - Children between the ages of 1 and 4 should be seated in forward-facing safety seats placed in the back middle position. It's best for kids to stay in this same seat until they grow out of the seat's height/weight limitations.

Children (4 years to 8 years) - Kids aged 4-8 should sit in an approved booster seat placed in the back middle position. Lap seat belt should rest securely across upper thighs, with shoulder belt placed across the chest. If the shoulder belt falls on the child awkwardly, consider purchasing a seat belt adjuster which will hold the belt in a lower, more comfortable position.

Preteens (8 years to 13 years/4'9") - Although they might protest, kids between 8 and 13 should sit in the back, in the middle if possible. Only once your teen reaches the height of 4' 9" can he or she safely sit in the front.

In addition to these age guidelines, parents should also follow these general rules to make sure their kids are riding as safely as possible:

1) Don't rush to graduate your child to the next size car seat; if they're too small for the new seat, it won't be able to protect them properly.

2) Keep car seats securely fastened, even when the child isn't riding in the car. Unsecured booster seats and car seats will be the first thing to go flying in an accident, which could be very dangerous for the driver and other passengers.

3) Keep updated on any recall notifications for your safety seat. All car seat manufacturers allow you to register your car seat, which allows you to receive updates on product recalls.

4) Never use a car seat that has been in an accident. Even if the safety seat or booster seat appears undamaged, its safety has been compromised after an accident and needs to be replaced.

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