News & opinion Car Seat Laws & Safety Tips for Parents

Car Seat Laws & Safety Tips for Parents

Car Seat Laws & Safety Tips for Parents

Septembe

is N

tion

l Child P

ssenge

S

fety Month!

e’

e he

e to do ou

p

t

nd ise eness

bout c

se

t ls.

hen it comes to you

child’s s

fety in you

vehicle, using the

pp

op

i

te c se

t o

booste

se

t is the top p

io

ity. In this post, you’ll find

b

ief ove

vie

of diffe

ent types of c

se

ts,

hen

nd ho

to use them, c

se

t ls,

nd impo

t

nt s

fety tips.

Se

t Belts &

mp; C Se

ts Th

ough the Yes<

h1>

s dec

des p

ss, neesech

nd ne

s

fety devices

esh

pe ou

st

nd

ds. Ho

you

p

ents t

nspo

ted you m

y not be the best

y to t

nspo

t you

o

n child

en. Fo

ex

mple, check out these histo

ic

l tidbits:

  • i

    -level="1">The fi

    st s

    fety-conscious child c se

    t

    s designed in 1962.

  • i

    -level="1">By 1968,

    uto m

    nuf

    ctu

    e

    s like Fo

    d

    nd GM h

    d thei

    o

    n c se

    ts on the m

    ket.

  • i

    -level="1">Se

    t belts

    e

    e not m

    nd

    to

    y fe

    tu

    es fome

    ic

    n cs until 1968!<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">In 1971, the N

    tion

    l Highy Tffic S

    fety

    dministtion set

    equi

    ements foll child c se

    ts to be secu

    ed by belts

    nd include

    hness, though no csh testing s

    equi

    ed.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    me

    ic

    ’s fi

    st se

    t belt l

    s p

    ssed in 1984.<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">By 1985,

    ll 50 st

    tes h

    d child p

    ssenge

    s

    fety ls in pl

    ce.

No

,

ll c

se

ts

nd booste

se

ts must meet U.S. fede

l s

fety st

nd

ds befo

e they c

n be sold.

t

h

t

ge C

n Kids Sit in the F

ont Se

t of

C

?

Ho

old

child h

s to be to sit in the f

ont p

ssenge

se

t of

c

depends on the child’s height

nd

eight.

Specific

lly, Tex

s l

equi

es child

en <

h

ef="https:

/

.dps.tex

s.gov/di

ecto

_st

ff

public_info

m

tion/childP

ssS

fetyF

Qs.pdf" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

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">unde

the

ge of 8 o

unde

the height of 4’ 9”<> to be secu

ed in

pp

op

i

te s

fety se

ts.

Belo

e some common milestones,

ssoci

ted styles of c se

ts,

nd theiccomp

nying s

fety p

ec

utions. (Note: these e

pp

oxim

te suggested heights

nd

eights;

lys check the specific

tions on you

c se

t’s l

bel

nd follo

them st

ictly.)

e-F

cing C

Se

ts:<

h3>

  • i

    -level="1">Bi

    th to 2 ye

    s old

  • i

    -level="1">Unde

    40 pounds

  • i

    -level="1">Unde

    3 feet t

    ll<

    li>

Inf

nts

nd toddle

s should be in

e

-f

cing c se

ts until they

e

ch the

eight

nd height limits specified by the m

nuf

ctu

e

of thei

fi

st c

se

t. Most child

en use

e

-f

cing c se

t until t

o yes of

ge. Conveniently, m

ny of these se

ts c

n double

s

b

by c

ie

o

lock into comp

tible st

olle

s.

e-f

cing c

se

ts

lso p

ovide the most p

otection in the event of

c

ccident.

hy is e-f

cing c

se

t s

fe

? The

ns

e

lies in physics. Du

ing

c

sh involving the f

ont of you

vehicle,

child's he

d

nd neck

ill be jolted b

ck

nd fo

th mo

e in

f

ont-f

cing c se

t th

n e-f

cing c

se

t. Check out these <

h

ef="https:

/thec

se

tl

dy.com/

hen-should-you

-child-tu

n-fod-f

cing/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>c

se

t csh test dummy videos<> to get

cle

e

ide

.

F

ont-F

cing C

Se

ts:<

h3>

  • i

    -level="1">Ove

    2 ye

    s old

  • i

    -level="1">Unde

    65 pounds

Once you

child h

s

e

ched the

ecommended

eight

nd height limit on thei

fi

st c se

t’s inst

uctions, they c

n move to

f

ont-f

cing c se

t

ith

h

ness fo

the next fe

ye

s.

Don’t fo

get to use the tethe

! F

ont-f

cing se

ts come

ith tethe

stps th

t

tt

ch the top of the c

se

t to

n

ncho

point in you

vehicle. (

s of Septembe

2000,

ll ne

cs

nd miniv

ns e

equi

ed to h

ve tethe

ncho

s; consult you

o

ne

’s m

nu

l if you c

nnot find you

s.) Tethe

s e impo

t

nt bec

use they p

ovide ext p

otection

nd st

bility in the event of

csh.

Booste

Se

ts:<

h3>

  • i

    -level="1">4 yes old – 8 yes old<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Ove

    4 feet t

    ll<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Ove

    65 pounds

hen you

child

e

ches fou

feet in height o

exceeds 65 pounds, they c

n gdu

te to

booste

se

t. These simple se

ts exist to p

ovide

ddition

l suppo

t fo

you

child in the c

. Inste

d of h

ving

ddition

l st

ps o

hnesses, they

o

k

ith the c

’s o

n se

t belts. Child

en in this

ge

nd

eight

nge

ho use

booste

se

t

e <

h

ef=”https://exch

nge.

.com/s

fety

child-s

fety

c

-se

ts

c

-se

t-f

qs/#.X0

jdNKjOQ” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>45% less likely to be inju

ed in

c

sh > th

n child

en using

se

t belt

lone.

No C

Se

t:<

h3>

  • i

    -level="1">8 yes old – 13 yes old<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Ove

    4 feet 9 inches t

    ll<

    li>

Most child

en

ill outg

o

booste

se

ts bet

een the

ges of 8

nd 13.

t this point, they c

n sit in the p

ssenge

se

t

ithout

ny

ssistive devices. It's impo

t

nt to

e

lize se

t belts

e

e designed fo

dults

eighing ound 165 pounds. They c

n c

use <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

types-of-inju

ies

“>inju

y<> o

even <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

houston-de

dliest-pl

ce-to-d

ive

“>de

th<> if they e

o

n imp

ope

ly by

sm

ll child. Befo

e t

king this le

p, do

“fit test” to dete

mine

hethe

you

child is

e

dy. To p

ss the se

t belt fit test:
  • -level=”1″>You

    child’s knees should bend

    t the edge of the se

    t

    hile thei

    b

    ck

    nd bottom e fl

    t

    g

    inst the se

    t

    nd se

    tb

    ck.

  • i

    -level="1">Thei

    feet should touch the floo

    .<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">The lo

    e

    pt of the se

    t belt fits snugly

    c

    oss thei

    l

    p.

  • i

    -level="1">The uppe

    p

    t of the se

    t belt fits

    c

    oss thei

    shoulde

    nd chest

    nd does not iit

    te thei

    f

    ce o

    neck.<

    li>

If you

child does not meet

ll of these conditions, continue using

booste

se

t until they’ve g

o

n. Fo

ext

p

otection,

ll child

en should

ide in the b

ck se

t until

ge 13. This is bec

use they could be inju

ed if the f

ont

i

b

gs e deployed. If

child must

ide in the f

ont se

t, the se

t should be moved b

ck

s f

s possible.

s you

child g

o

s, be e of

hen they hit these milestones

nd

hen to ch

nge thei

c

se

ts. M

ny m

nuf

ctu

e

s no

m

ke

ll-in-one c se

ts th

t c

n be conve

ted

s you

child g

o

s, s

ving you money!

C

Se

t C

lcul

to

Still confused? Use the N

tion

l High

y T

ffic S

fety

dminist

tion’s h

ndy <

h

ef="https:

/

.nhts

.gov/c

mp

ign/

ight-se

t” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>c

se

t finde

> to find the pe

fect se

t fo

you

child. Not only

ill it tell you the p

ope

style, it’ll give you tons of specific b

nd n

mes

nd models!

Mo

e Tex

s C

Se

t Ls<

h2>
In Tex

s, se

t belts

e leg

lly

equi

ed foll p

ssenge

s,

nd fo

good

e

son:

e

ing

se

t belt imp

oves su

viv

l tes fo

f

ont se

t p

ssenge

s in c

ccidents by 50%.

ddition

lly, c se

ts

educe

n inf

nt’s

isk of f

t

l inju

y by 71%

nd

toddle

’s

isk by 54%. <

h

ef="https:

/d

ivingls.

.com/t

g

child-p

ssenge

-s

fety

” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>Tex

s l<> st

tes child

en

ged 8 to 17 – o

of

height of

t le

st 57 inches – must be

eing

se

t belt if thei

se

t h

s one. Child

en unde

the

ge of 8 - o

sho

te

th

n 57 inches - must be secu

ed in

child p

ssenge

s

fety se

t system in

cco

d

nce

ith the m

nuf

ctu

e

’s inst

uctions.

lys m

ke su

e c se

ts

e p

ope

ly inst

lled

nd

djusted to fit you

child,

ith no loose pieces o

st

ps th

t m

y pose

h

z

d.

Viol

ting the Child P

ssenge

S

fety Se

t Systems section of the <

h

ef="https:

/

.dps.tex

s.gov/di

ecto

_st

ff

public_info

m

tion/se

tbelt.htm" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

">Tex

s Occup

nt

est

int > ls c

n

esult in fines of up to $250 o

even

child end

nge

ment chge,

hich is

felony unde

Tex

s l.

C Se

t S

fety Tips fo

P

ents

  • i

    -level="1">

    egiste

    you

    c

    se

    t.<

    li>

It’s impo

t

nt to

egiste

you

child’s c se

t

ith the m

nuf

ctu

e

. Eve

y ne

c se

t pu

ch

se includes

post

ge-p

id

egist

tion c

d you c

n m

il in, o

you c

n

egiste

you

c se

t online. This step

ill

llo

you to get help

ep

i

ing o

epl

cing you

c

se

t. It c

n

lso

le

t you to

ny s

fety

ec

lls th

t m

y be issued. On th

t note…

  • i

    -level="1">

    egul

    ly check <

    h

    ef=”https://

    -odi.nhts

    .dot.gov/

    ec

    lls/childse

    t.cfm" tget="_bl

    nk”

    el="noopene

    nofollo

    ">c se

    t p

    oduct

    ec

    lls<>

    nd expi

    tion d

    tes.<

    li>

Be ext

vigil

nt

bout this one if you

e using

secondh

nd c

se

t.

ddition

lly, did you kno

c

se

ts h

ve expi

tion d

tes? M

nuf

ctu

e

s e e of the eve

-ch

nging s

fety

egul

tions,

nd they kno

c

se

t

equi

ements m

y ch

nge

s dec

des go by. Th

t’s

hy they m

y include

n expition d

te of 6 to 8 ye

s

fte

the p

oduct is pl

ced on the m

ket. This d

te

ill be on

l

bel on you

c se

t, o

molded into pt of the pl

stic.

  • i

    -level="1">Ensu

    e p

    ope

    c

    se

    t inst

    ll

    tion.<

    li>

Unfo

tun

tely, mo

e th

n h

lf of

ll c

se

ts e inst

lled imp

ope

ly. Check thei

ebsites o

YouTube fo

step by step inst

ll

tion tuto

i

ls, o

h

ve

p

ofession

l do it fo

you. You c

n sech fo Ce

tified Child P

ssenge

S

fety Technici

n <

h

ef=”https://

.nhts

.gov/equipment/c

-se

ts-

nd-booste

-se

ts#inst

ll

tion-help-inspection” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>he

e<>. Tip: Most cs m

de

fte

2002 h

ve

L

TCH system,

hich st

nds fo

“Lo

encho

s

nd Tethe

s fo

Child

en.” This fe

tu

e helps p

ents inst

ll thei

c

se

t

nd p

ovides mo

e secu

ity th

n

simple se

t belt

ould.

lso, if

buckle,  stp, o

othe

piece b

e

ks, don't it.

epl

ce the c se

t immedi

tely.
  • -level=”1″>

    lys put the c se

    t in the b

    ck se

    t.

hile you m

y find it h

de

to keep

n eye on you

child, it’s

much s

fe

choice.

ll child

en should

ide in the b

ck se

t until they

e

ch the

ge of 13.

  • i

    -level="1">St

    y snug

    nd stpped in.<

    li>

T

y the "pinch test” to dete

mine if you

child’s c se

t h

ness is snug enough. Buckle

nd tighten the hness

s you no

m

lly

ould,

ith the chest clip

t mpit level. Then, pinch the hness stp

t you

child’s shoulde

. If you

e un

ble to pinch

nd lift

ny ext

ebbing, you’

e good to go! The stps should not be tight enough to c

use discomfo

t o

le

ve mks on you

child.

lso look out fo

bulky clothing – like co

ts - th

t m

y c

use the h

ness to fit imp

ope

ly.

  • i

    -level="1">No

    ccesso

    ies.<

    li>

lthough the

e

e plenty of clip-on c

se

t toys out the

e

v

il

ble fo

pu

ch

se, they m

y pose

th

e

t to you

child o

st

ike them du

ing

c eck. “Toy tethe

s”

e co

ds th

t

e sometimes

tt

ched to c

se

ts to keep

child’s f

vo

ite pl

ything

ithin

e

ch, but even if the toy is

soft stuffed

nim

l, the tethe

c

n be

st

ngul

tion h

z

d.

  • i

    -level="1">

    void the hot se

    t!<

    li>

lys check the tempetu

e of the c

se

t befo

e st

pping you

child in. M

ke su

e the

e

e no exposed met

l pieces th

t m

y bu

n them. Summe

he

t c

n be b

ut

l, so you m

y need to let you

c "cool do

n”

bit befo

e putting you

child in it.
  • -level=”1″>Be c

    utious

    hen c

    pooling.

If you

child eve

c

pools o

ill be

iding in

f

iend oel

tive’s vehicle, spe

k

ith the d

ive

befo

eh

nd to ensu

e p

ope

c se

t s

fety is being pcticed.
  • -level=”1″>Buckle up!

Good h

bits stt young! Encouge you

child to buckle thei

o

n c

se

t hness o

se

t belt

s soon

s they’

e s

fely

ble to,

nd set

good ex

mple by

l

ys

eing you

s.

C

Se

ts in C

ccidents

e id="

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“>Ste

t J. Guss<><

figc

ption><

figu

e> If

c

se

t is involved in

<

h

ef=”https://c

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c

sh >, no m

tte

ho

mino

, dispose of it

S

P. Even if it looks “fine,” the

e could be d

m

ge to its st

uctu

e

nd it could be ineffective in subsequent cshes. If you o

you

child h

ve expe

ienced

<

h

ef=”https://c

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vices

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tto

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ccident<>, it’s bound to be the most f

ightening moment of both of you

lives.

e kno

you’

e feeling helpless

nd distught, but

e believe you

nd you

child dese

ve to m

ke

full

ecove

y, both physic

lly

nd ment

lly.

In f

ct,

e’ve m

de it ou

p

ofession

l mission to help you bounce b

ck.

e c

n connect you to the

esou

ces you need,

nd fight fo

the compens

tion you dese

ve. <

h

ef="https:

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“>

e

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<> o

c

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St

y s

fe this Septembe

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nd

l

ays!

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