Children’s car seats are often installed improperly, putting kids’ safety and lives at risk. Learn the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
If you have kids, you want to do everything you can to protect your precious cargo in the car. Buckling them into the right safety seat is the best way. But according to one study, car seats are used improperly nearly 75 percent of the time.
(Xanthe) There are many common mistakes parents make when using a car seat. Here to discuss some of those is Melba King, our car seat safety educator. Melba, I know one of the common mistakes is using an infant car seat in the front seat.
(Melba) Yes, and that can be a very deadly combination: the rear facing seat with an airbag. Children are much safer when they’re riding in the back seat. Generally, about thirteen is when we consider them old enough and mature enough to sit in the front seat safely.
(Xanthe) Another mistake is installing the seat at the wrong angle.
(Melba) Yes, a rear facing seat is going to have an indicator on it somewhere that’s going to tell you what the manufacturer wants as far as recline. A lot of seats need to be at about a maximum of 45 degrees. So for the new baby, that’s important to keep the airway open protecting the head, the brain, and the neck in a crash.
(Xanthe) Installing the seat too loosely.
(Melba) When you have a seat with a base, you install the base and make sure that it does not move more than one inch at the belt path. Side to side. Front to back. Testing no more than one inch.
(Xanthe) Leaving the car’s seat belt too loose.
(Melba) I’m going to pull it all the way to the very end. I don’t want to jerk it because that would give me a false reading where it really isn’t locked. So I’m going to pull it all the way to the very end, and then you can see how it only gets shorter. I cannot make it longer. Then tighten it back down at the very end.
(Xanthe) Not tightening the harness straps.
(Melba) Harness straps should be so snug that when tightened you cannot pinch at the shoulder, and yet it’s still comfortable on the child. And the chest clip needs to be up at armpit level to hold these on the shoulders for proper restraint.
(Xanthe) Always follow the instructions in the manual before installing a seat. Then, have it checked for free by a certified child passenger safety technician. You can find one in your area by going online.