TOP 5 Car Seat Mistakes

We all know the obvious things about car seats as in, children need to ride in the backseat, and make sure that the harness is tight, with no slack, etc., but below are some not-so-obvious ways to keep your child even safer in their car seat. 

1. PLACEMENT OF CAR SEAT

• Car seats need to be as far away from airbags as possible, which is why they are always to be used in the backseat. What some people don't know though, is that it is safest for the car seat to be placed in the middle seat, away from either doors. “Child occupants seated in the center had an injury risk 43% less than children seated in either of the rear outboard positions.” If you have the ability to place them in the center seat, do so. The added bonus is that you still have two full-sized seating options for other riders in the backseat.

2. DO NOT USE BULKY COATS WHILE CHILD IS IN THE CAR SEAT

• The puffy jackets or snowsuits can hinder the effectiveness of the safety harness. Place your child in their car seat wearing a light jacket, or sweatshirt, and a hat, and use blankets to keep them warm, instead of their coats.
  

3. KEEPING LOOSE ITEMS IN THE CAR.

• Any item in the car can become dangerous projectiles if you were in an accident. Do you keep your windshield scraper on the backseat floor? How about your laptop bag? Secure everything as much as possible. Check into getting a backseat organizer to keep everything secure.

4. USING AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES

• Plain and simple, if it didn't come with the car seat right out of the package, avoid it. Using items such as strap protectors (you know, those adorable little puppy heads that keep the strap from irritating the baby’s skin?) or head stabilizers, may actually void the warranty from the manufacturer. If your car seat came with an infant insert, that means that it has been tested and is approved for use.
• As it gets colder, parents turn more often towards bunting items. Try to find items that go over the car seat (“shower cap” style) and do not interfere with the harness placement. If having this item is a necessity, watch for the thickness on the under-side. If you have to loosen the harness considerably (as in, more than you would have to for a regular light-weight jacket) think twice. Once again, check your manufacturer’s warranty for specifics.

5. READ YOUR SPECIFIC CAR SEAT MANUAL

• Many suggestions or recommendations are made for proper car seat usage. Consult your specific manual to see where the straps should be placed, or at what angle to place it, etc. There is a ton of good and useful information in it, and so often it gets misplaced or discarded immediately after installation. Read everything!

New Rule Will Change Your Child Seat Requirements: Here’s What You Need to Know!

In 2014, a new rule will be put into effect that requires child-seat makers to tell parents not to use their lower anchors if children and their car seats have a combined weight of 65 pounds. The rule is an amendment made to the 2001 rule, which said that kids 65 pounds and up still needed to be in their car seats. So, why the change? According to the experts, if your tot and his car seat are heavier than 65 pounds the strength of the car seat anchors cannot be guaranteed.

The new rule means that kids as light as 32 pounds may not be able to use the LATCH system (which is designed to make child seats easier to install and safer) because the anchor requirements are based on old child seats and outdated recommendations on how long kids really need to be in car seats. Joseph Colella, a child-safety advocate who was part of the petition laid out by four other child-safety advocates, petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to change the rule because “carmakers aren’t able to guarantee the safety of heavier kids given the strength of LATCH anchors.” The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers also wanted to change the outdated rules because the limits weren’t factoring in how much car seats weigh.

What is LATCH? Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. And though for some, it’s a preferred method, use and awareness among parents is pretty low. Last summer, USAToday.com reports that a study led by Safe Kids Worldwide found that child-seat checkpoint technicians were using the lower anchors to attach seats only 30 percent of the time, and only 30 percent of parents were actually using their top tether straps. Lynda Tran, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Department said, “While LATCH makes it easier to properly install car seats in vehicles, it’s important for parents and caregivers to know that securing a child seat with a seat belt is equally as safe, and that they have the flexibility to use either system.”

It’s clear that when the new regulations take effect, better awareness and training need to be done in order to prevent injuries in children.