Education of proper car seat use is vital – when used correctly, child safety seats can reduce fatal injury by up to 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers (ages 1 to 4). Britax Child Safety, Inc. wants to help caregivers across the nation keep their families safe by spreading the word about proper car seat installation and everyday use.
• A securely installed car seat should not move more than 1 inch side-to-side or front-to-back at the belt path.
• According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 59 percent of car seats are misused.
• Always tighten the harness until snug.
• Before you install your car seat, take some time to read both the car seat user guide and your vehicle’s owner manual.
• Bulky clothing or blankets can prevent a snug harness fit.
• Did you know all 50 states and the District of Columbia have child safety seat laws?
• Find a car seat check event or technician near you, by visiting: http://www.safekids.org/events/field_type/check-event
• If a child seat has been involved in a severe crash or is past its expiration date, the seat should be replaced.
• If you have difficulty installing your child seat securely, contact the manufacturer.
• Install your car seat using either LATCH or the vehicle seat belt system. You should not use both systems at the same time.
• Keep children in a car seat with a five-point harness for as long as possible.
• Know how to safely clean your car seat cover, without voiding the warranty.
• Lower vehicle LATCH anchors have limits. To learn more, visit: https://us.britax.com/product-knowledge/articles/about-latch/ #therightseat #BritaxSafety
• Motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children.
• Never add thick padding (blankets, body positioners, etc) under or behind the baby unless it is recommended for use by the manufacturer.
• NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats.
• Once a child outgrows the rear-facing-only “infant” car seat, he/she should travel in a rear-facing “convertible” car seat.
• One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when riding in a vehicle.
• Please don’t be in a hurry to transition your child to a belt-positioning booster seat.
• Position the chest clip at your child’s armpit level.
• Proper use of car seats helps keep children safe.
• Register your car seat with the manufacturer.
• The AAP recommends all infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat’s manufacturer.
• The back seat is the safest place for children age 12 and under.
• The best way to protect kids in the car is to put them in the right seat, at the right time, and use it the right way.
• The harness straps should be threaded through the slots at or above the child’s shoulders in a forward-facing car seat.
• The harness straps should be threaded through the slots at or below the child’s shoulders on a rear-facing car seat.
• The recline-angle in a rear-facing seat is especially important for young infants who are still developing head and neck control.
• The right car seat or booster fits your child and your car, and is one you will use correctly every time you travel.
• To best protect your child in a crash, car seats must be installed correctly.
• When children are rear-facing in a car seat, it’s important for the seat to be installed in a reclined position to help keep baby’s head and neck supported and airways clear.
• When forward-facing, the use of a top tether can reduce the distance that your child’s head moves forward during a crash by four to six inches.
• When your child is ready for a booster seat you can safely secure your child in a booster seat, using a lap/shoulder seat belt, never a lap belt only.