Is YOUR Child Safe in Their Car Seat?



Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this info, free of charge,from NHTSA, for blog posting purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it



Child Passenger Safety Week is this week (September 13-19), with National Seat Check this Saturday the 19th, with locations across the country offering to do a child seat check FREE of charge for you!


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One of the goals of Child Passenger Safety Week is to make sure that parents and caregivers have the RIGHT car seat  for their child/grandchild, based on his or her age and size, as well as does that seat fit their car correctly. Additionally, parents and caregivers need to make sure to register their child’s car seat with the manufacturer,  so they can be informed, as soon as possible, in the event of a recall for that car seat.  You can register your car seat and booster seat at SaferCar.gov/TheRightSeat, for one screen ease, to save you time!


As children grow, how they sit in your car will change. 

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If you look in the rear view mirror, you can see that! Which is why you need to make sure the car seat you purchase, is designed to fit your child’s current size/age, how they sit, and allows some room growth:

- Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. 
- Children ages 1-3 should be kept rear-facing as long as they fit the car seat. They can cross their legs, bend them, but as long as they can fit, they are SAFER riding rear facing.
- Children ages 3-9 should stay in a 5 point harness car seat as long as they fit in the seat, for ultimate safety. High back boosters allow them a seat that fits, but provides excellent head protection in case of a crash.
- Kids ages 8 and up, if they can stay sitting upright, can go into a backless booster
- Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12. Front seat belts are made for ADULTS, at adult heights and weight. Until your child is of this age, they more than likely are not going to fit!

Note: 
All-in-One car seats offer you the advantage of using the same seat for the following positions: rear-facing, forward-facing with harness, then booster. These seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time, which physicians and safety experts strongly recommend.

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If a car seat is not installed correctly, your child's safety could be compromised. Every car seat has different installation instructions. You can find resources and tips here to help you get “the right fit” on your car seatsNot all car seats fit in all vehicles, so test the car seat you plan to buy to make sure it fits well in your vehicle.

Free Car Seat Inspections: 
During Child Passenger Safety Week, there will be events across the country where Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will inspect car seats and show parents and caregivers how to correctly install and use them. In most cases, this service is free of chargeLocate a car seat check event here.

If you can't make the event, you can locate a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in your area, at SaferCar.gov/TheRightSeat.

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You can also download the free SaferCar app from the iTunes App Store and Google Play. 

Be sure to join NHTSA during the Child Passenger Safety Twitter Chat
this Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. ET 
for safety tips and facts on car seats and booster seats.  

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