As parent’s we do everything we can to assure that our children are safe – we put up safety gates, we child safety lock the cabinets, the frig, we bolt down the T.V, we put in an alarm system, we buy the best car seats and booster seats money can buy. But do we put that much thought into the installation of the car seats? We move car seats from one car to another; take them out to put packages in, and then put them back in again. Just because it’s buckled doesn’t mean it’s in properly.
Car Crashes are the leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old
More than 3,660 children were killed in car crashes during a 5-year period. (2007-2011)
In 2011, over one third of children killed in car crashes were not in car seats or wearing seat belts.
In 2011, an estimated 314 lives were saved by car restraints among children 4 and younger.
Car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury in cars by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. In SUV’s, pickups and bans, they reduce the risk by 58 percent for infants and 59 percent for toddlers.
Scary isn’t it? The best way to protect your children is to be an informed parent.
Please take initiative! Visit Safercar.gov to learn tips on car seat safety, watch how-to videos and sign up for car seat recall notifications!
A goal of National Seat Check Saturday is to teach parents how to correctly install and use car seats, and ensure children are in the right seats for their ages and size. To locate a Certified Child Passenger Safety technician in your area, go to safercar.gov/therightseat or download the free SaferCar app from the iTunes App Store.
My daughter was only 3 months old when we were involved in our first auto accident – I was so grateful that we took the time to get the seat installed by a Certified technician at the local fire station and that it kept my baby safe. After the accident we disposed of the car seat to ensure a continued high level of crash protection for my daughter. You can read more about the recommendations for replacing car seats after a crash here.
Better safe then sorry – learn the proper seat and installation for your child!
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such an important topic! thanks for reminding us all again!