Did you know that this week is Child Passenger Safety Week? It’s a week sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with the goal to make sure all parents and caregivers are properly securing children (ages 0-12) in the best car restraint (rear-facing, forward-facing, booster, seat belt) for age and size.
The week culminates with National Seat Check Saturday this Saturday (9/20). You can check here to find the closest place to get your car seats checked (in most cases, it’s FREE).
I got my boys’ seats checked several times over the course of their younger years to make sure that I had them installed correctly. I thought I was knowledgeable about seat safety, but I actually was doing a few things wrong that I didn’t know about. For example, my youngest was quite thin, so he was well under the weight range for his seat, but he had actually outgrown his seat heightwise (where the strap came out behind him), so I had to upgrade his seat. Because of the seat checks, I also kept my youngest rear-facing until he was 2 and I still have my 8 year old in a booster bottom until he gets tall enough for the seat belt to fit correctly.
Some Car Safety Tips from Safety 1st include:
Importance of Rear Facing
In March of 2011 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their car seat recommendations advising that children should remain rear facing until the age of two. According to a study in the Journal of Injury Prevention children under the age of two are 75% less likely to die or be severely injured in the event of a car crash if they are rear facing. When a child is rear facing their head, neck and spine are better supported and in the event of an accident, crash forces are distributed over the child’s entire body.
Location
Typically the center rear seat is the safest place for a car seat, and never install a car seat in the front seat. If your car does not have a latch connector for the middle seat, you can use the middle seat belt to properly secure the base. When installing, make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side. An easy way to test this is to hold at the belt path.
Car Seat Expiration
Car seats do have an expiration date, it is recommended that car seats be replaced every 5-8 years, or immediately after a crash. The reason for an expiration date is because plastic can warp and materials can fray, which can make car seats not as effective in the event of a crash. Additionally car seat technology and state and federal car seat regulations change over time. Important warning labels may wear out and instruction books may get lost, which can lead to improper use of the car seat.
Safeguard the Car
Childproof the inside of the car and eliminate projectiles. Anything in the car that is not secured is a possible projectile – even a child’s toy, or a water bottle. In a crash, objects take on greater weight due to crash forces.
Safety 1st actually makes a wide variety of seats for your child including:
onBoard 35 Air +Infant Car Seat – Air Protect + combines the advanced protection of the Air Protect® cushion system with patented GCell HX™ foam designed with hexagonal shapes for superior protection around the torso. TOGETHER they provide full body side impact protection.
Advanced SE 65 Air +Convertible Car Seat -For children from 5-65 pounds. In addition to Air Protect +, the Advance 65 Air + uses a steel-reinforced metal frame for extra stability and includes a 4-position recline for an optimal fit to your vehicle. We’ve also included color-coded belt paths and installation labels to help you install it quickly and correctly.
Summit® Booster Car Seat -Forward-facing: 22-40 pounds with Belt-positioning at 40-100 pound. Fully loaded with ease-of-use features that parents will appreciate: Like the 4-position QuickFit™ headrest which adjusts without the need for rethreading and a 5-point safety harness with Center Front Adjust.
Incognito Kid Positioning Seat -A new category for car seats. The goal for Safety 1st is to help educate parents that any child under 4’9” (57”) in height should still be in a belt positioning seat. The Incognito blends into the car and prevents slouching to ensure comfortable and proper positioning of the seat belt. The introduction of this seat has helped to extending child restraints to accommodate children 60 to 120 lbs. and up to 60 inches.
Giveaway
Safety 1st has offered to give one (1) lucky reader an Advanced SE 65 Air +Convertible Car Seat ($189.99 value).
You must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. resident to win.
To Enter:
Just fill out the form below to enter – one entry per person. I am asking for shipping information only for the purpose of mailing the winner’s prize. This information will not be sold, traded, or given away. If you are reading this via e-mail, click on the post title to be taken directly to “Cents”able Momma to enter.
You have until Tuesday (9/23) at 11:59 pm ET to enter the giveaway. Please enter only once. The winner will be chosen randomly. After the giveaway is over, I will update the winner’s information (first name and last initial) on the top of this post.
Disclosure: Safety 1st is providing the prize to the winner. I did not receive any compensation to write this post. The opinions are all mine!
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