Car Seat Safety: What Every Parent Should Know
As a parent, you want to protect your children as much as possible; teach them to look both ways before crossing a street, make them wear a bicycle helmet and knee pads while biking, and teach them how to safely swim.
One of the most important things parents can do is make sure their children are properly and securely placed into car seats. Injuries on the road are the leading cause of unintentional deaths to children in the United States. Properly securing your child can reduce this risk by up to 70 percent. Following these simple tips may save your child’s life.
One of the most important things parents can do is make sure their children are properly and securely placed into car seats. Injuries on the road are the leading cause of unintentional deaths to children in the United States. Properly securing your child can reduce this risk by up to 70 percent. Following these simple tips may save your child’s life.
The Car Seat
By following these three steps, you can ensure your child’s safety in the event of an accident:
1. Ensure your car seat is appropriate for your child. There are four types of safety mechanisms recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): rear facing car seats, forward facing car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. Your child’s size, age, and weight will determine the proper car seat they must be secured in.
2. Ensure your car seat is properly installed. This is as crucial as ensuring they are in the correct seat. A proper installation should only take fifteen minutes, but can be the deciding factor in life or death situations. Your car seat’s manufacturer should provide detailed instructions for installing a car seat, but if you are still concerned you can bring the seat to a certified child passenger safety technician to double check your work. Most fire and police stations provide this service for free.
3. Finally, register your car seat through the manufacturer and be on the alert for any recalls regarding the car seat.
Registering your seat is even easier these days, and can be done by mailing in the form provided with the seat or online through the manufacturer’s website. Registering your seat will allow the company to contact you in the event of a recall or buy back.
Whenever possible, rear-facing seats are the best choice. Because collisions with cars typically cause the body to lunge forward, rear-facing seats will protect infants and children form whiplash and other serious neck or head injuries.
1. Ensure your car seat is appropriate for your child. There are four types of safety mechanisms recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): rear facing car seats, forward facing car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. Your child’s size, age, and weight will determine the proper car seat they must be secured in.
2. Ensure your car seat is properly installed. This is as crucial as ensuring they are in the correct seat. A proper installation should only take fifteen minutes, but can be the deciding factor in life or death situations. Your car seat’s manufacturer should provide detailed instructions for installing a car seat, but if you are still concerned you can bring the seat to a certified child passenger safety technician to double check your work. Most fire and police stations provide this service for free.
3. Finally, register your car seat through the manufacturer and be on the alert for any recalls regarding the car seat.
Registering your seat is even easier these days, and can be done by mailing in the form provided with the seat or online through the manufacturer’s website. Registering your seat will allow the company to contact you in the event of a recall or buy back.
Whenever possible, rear-facing seats are the best choice. Because collisions with cars typically cause the body to lunge forward, rear-facing seats will protect infants and children form whiplash and other serious neck or head injuries.
Visit AGC Pediatrics
AGC Pediatrics specializes in children’s health and wellness. We have multiple locations across North Georgia including offices in Calhoun and Cartersville.
Schedule an appointment through our online patient portal or call 706-625-5900 today.
Schedule an appointment through our online patient portal or call 706-625-5900 today.
