Child car seat safety

Car-Seat Safety For Children

Importance of Car-Seat Safety For Children

Picture this: You are late for a meeting with an important client. On the way, you have to leave your four-year old daughter at your sister?s house. You grab your files and quickly put her in the car seat in the back seat of your car. You know if you are late, the business deal will fall through and your boss will very likely fire you. Rush, rush, rush?

Wait a minute! Did you check properly if the restraining belt of the child?s car seat was properly fitted? You didn?t, did you? The result: as you drive to your sister?s house, an oncoming car suddenly crashes into your car. On impact, the air bag in front of you automatically inflates and you survive the crash. What about your daughter? - She has been thrown forward, and the force of the impact results in head injuries. Luckily, the injuries are not fatal. Numerous hospital visits later, she pulls through.

Think about it: so what if you were late for that meeting? So what if your boss fired you? You can always get another job. But your daughter? ? What if the injuries were fatal?

You must be aware of the importance of car safety for your child. You must ensure that you double-check the car seat in future each time you take your daughter with you.

This article aims to inform readers about safety guidelines when taking a child in your car. Of course, this article should not be considered as giving pearls of wisdom! If you would like advice on car seat safety, send for more information to:

info@childcarseats.org.uk

Common Mistakes ? Which May Turn Out To Be Dangerous

Your daughter is 4 years old so you automatically buy a car seat for a 4 year old.

You buy a car seat that you assume will fit in your car.

You put your baby?s rear-facing car seat in the front passenger seat.

You keep the car seat permanently in the car. So you assume it is fixed and don?t need to check it each time.

You think you are wise and don?t bother to read the manufacturer?s instructions regarding fitting of the car seat and its belt.

You cousin?s son has grown older and no longer needs a car seat. You gladly take his car seat, thinking you will save on buying a new one for your daughter.

If you have done made even ONE of the above mistakes, it is guaranteed that you have put your child at great risk. First, ask yourself: WHY have you bought the car seat? ? Probably because the law insists on it. That?s right ? but WHY was that law made in the first place? ? To ensure that your child is not harmed in any way in case of an accident. THAT is the purpose of the car safety seat: In case of a car crash, the force of the impact is properly distributed over those parts of the child?s body that are protected.

What You Should Do When Buying A Car Safety Seat

You should take your car AND your child along.

Select a seat NOT merely based only on the age of your child. Buy one that is right for your child?s height and size.

Request the retailer to show you how to fit the seat in your car as per the manufacturer?s instructions. Then try fitting it in yourself AND harness your child in it.

Check the label. Experts advice that the label should have the ?E? mark on it. This signifies that the seat follows the requisite United Nations standard Regulation safety guidelines (Regulation 44.03 or 44.04). In USA, the label should clearly indicate that it is following federal safety standards.

Important Aspects of The Safety Seat

First and foremost, keep in mind this MAJOR FACT: THE REAR SEAT IS THE SAFEST.

READ the manufacturer?s instructions very very carefully ?do not skip over a single detail. If you lose the instructions, immediately request the manufacturer to give you another brochure.

In the same way that you keep important documents pertaining to the car in the vehicle itself, the brochure with the instructions should always be kept in the car.

A Baby must always be put in a rear-facing seat in the back seat. You personally feel that the baby is just a few months old and you absolutely must keep an eye on her at all times. Sure, but isn?t her life more important? If at any time she starts bawling or seems uncomfortable, pull over your car as soon as it is safe to do so, and attend to her. Croon to her, quiet her down, change her nappy, whatever ? but put her back in that safety seat before you drive off again. If the journey is likely to be long or if she requires constant medical attention, experts advice that you have another adult with you to attend to her needs.

If at any time your car has been in a crash, do not re-use that same car seat. NEVER. Get another one. Why? ? Because the manufacturer has designed that seat to take the impact of ONE crash and just that one. You may feel your sharp eyes can detect any damage, but you?re wrong. From the outside, everything may seem hunky-dory, but the seat may have got weakened in parts not visible to the naked eye.

Just because the car safety seat fits properly in YOUR car, this does not imply that it is suitable for another car. So if you taking your child in someone else?s car, or even in a vehicle other than the one for which you got it, check it fits.

Do not ever buy a second-hand seat. The very word ?second-hand? means that it has been used. It means it has a ?history?: it could have been in an accident; it could have been damaged; it may be improperly designed. Why take the risk?

Important Aspects of The Seat Belt

Every car is fitted with a seat belt that is suitable for that particular vehicle. Hence, the length of a seat belt is bound to vary between one car and another.

All car seats for children have a ?harness?. You should fit this in such a way that there should only be a minimum of two-fingers space between the harness and the chest of the child.

Carefully follow the manufacturer?s instructions. It will explain in detail how to route the seat belt.

If the belt does not go around the child properly, check the instructions for another, better route.

Do not leave the seat belt lose. A child is always ?fidgety?. She can easily wriggle beneath the seat belt if there is a large gap.

Use the ?lock-off? mechanism of the seat belt. It will ensure that the seat belt does not slip.

Make sure that the buckle of the belt is in no way in contact with the frame of the child seat. If it is, it is risky, as the force of an impact during a crash can put a great deal of pressure on the belt and the buckle will just snap open.

Never fit the belt in such a way that the buckle is positioned on the child?s stomach.

If possible, you can make adjustments to lower the height of the seat belt. Check the instructions manual if there is a height adjuster mechanism near the door.

Despite your best efforts, if the belt comes undone, stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so, and fit the belt again properly.

Clothing: If your child is attending a facy-dress party, ensure the costume she is wearing does not in any way get entangled with the fitting of the belt or the buckle.

Correct positioning: (1) The belt that fits across the child?s lap should be positioned across from one hipbone to the other. (2) The belt that is positioned diagonally should be resting on the child?s shoulder. It should never be below the arm.

Your child?s car seat in relation to Airbags

For safety, airbags are generally fitted in the front of most cars. So you probably feel that you can put your daughter in a forward-facing car seat in the front passenger seat. As mentioned before, the rear seat is the best and safest place for your child. However, if you must put your child in the front, check that the car seat reclines back to its maximum possible limit. This ensures that, in case of an impact, there is sufficient place between the airbag and your child.

NEVER put a baby in a rear-facing seat in the front seat of your car. In case of a car crash, the airbag will inflate. Your baby will be CRUSHED between the airbag and the passenger seat in a horrible way, quite likely cutting off her breath.

So where will you find the right seat for your child?

The retailer or manufacturer can show you a variety of brochures.

The Internet will provide an even greater range.

Whichever you choose, remember what you should keep in mind: SAFETY FIRST. Your child?s life is more important. Don?t sacrifice it for punctuality. Don?t be hasty.

Put your child in a car safety seat ? every time.

Put your child in a seat that is correct for her height and weight.

Put your child in the back seat of the car ? every time.

Put the seat belt on your child ? every time.

Check and double-check the seat and the belt are properly fitted ? every time.