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Car Seat, Booster Seat And Seat Belt Safety Information

Rear-Facing Car Seats

• For the best possible protection, keep your baby in a rear-facing child safety seat in a back seat for as long as possible—up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. Recent recommendations (March 2011) by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urge parents to keep their babies rear-facing up to the second birthday.
  
   The old rule “12-months-and-20-pounds” that many parents cite when turning their child forward in the car is actually the minimum size and age requirement.
• Car seats vary in shapes and sizes, be sure to follow all safety instructions for your model of car seat
• Do not use any products in the car seat that did not come from the manufacturer.Car seat fabrics meet strict fire safety codes.
  
  Add-on toys can injure your child in a crash.
• Find where the frontal airbags are in your vehicle by checking the owner’s manual. Never put a rear-facing car seat in front of an active airbag. Children are always safest in a back seat.

Forward-Facing Car seats

• Use a forward-facing car seat correctly and until the harness no longer fits (convertible or combo seat) in a back seat every time your toddler rides in a car. Many harnesses today serve kids to 50, 60, 80 or even 100 pounds.

Take the next step to a booster seat when you answer “yes” to any of these questions:

• Does your child exceed the car seat’s height or weight limits?
• Are your child’s shoulders above the car seat’s top harness slots?
• Are the tops of your child’s ears above the top of the car seat?

Booster Seats

• Vehicle seat belts are designed to fit an average-sized adult. Children usually need a car seat or booster seat until they are about 4 feet 9 inches tall and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds to get the best protection from a seat belt. Many children will be between 8 and 12 years of age before they meet these heights and weights.
  
• Properly use a car seat or booster seat each time your child rides in the car
• Never place the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back
• Make sure all other drivers properly use the booster seat if your child is riding with them

Never leave children alone in a vehicle

Seat Belts

• Make sure that everyone sits upright when using seat belts. Never let them lean against windows or car doors or lie down. Never put the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back.
• Inform other drivers that your child must use a seat belt when riding with them
• All children under 13 years old should ride in the back seat

All recommendations were found from www.safekids.org

Call our office at toll free 800.637.8170 if you or someone you know has a child that was injured in an accident to request your FREE copy of Little Kids, Big Accidents: The Ultimate Guide to Child Injury Cases in Ohio.