Best Practice Archives - Page 21 of 25 - Car Seats For The Littles

Top Tethers: A Crucial Piece Of Your Child’s Car Seat

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Wendy Thomas

Using the top tether in conjunction with installing a forward facing car seat is one of the easiest things a parent can do to help protect their children. It’s the law in Canada to use a tether for all forward facing seats, and has been since 1989; in Australia all seats have been tethered since the 1970s. And yet in the United States, where it’s been highly encouraged since 2000, tether use is often less than 50%, and in some types of vehicles it’s as low as 17.2% (Jermakian, 2011).

European Car Seats vs. American Car Seats: Is One Better?

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Wendy Thomas

Fashion. Currencies. Road signs. Wines. Cars. The metric system. There are many differences between Europe and the United States. Including car seats.

As with wines and cars, many caregivers think European car seat brands are better or safer than their United States counterparts. However, just as wines and cars are actually pretty equal, so are car seats. Here’s a look at a few of the key differences.

Forward Facing: the Hows and the Whys

Posted on February 16, 2016 by CSFTL

By now, it is hopefully common knowledge that children should face the rear of the vehicle for at least 2 years, but eventually kids do need to forward face.

The Five Step Test

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Wendy Thomas

Somehow that little mewling Little to whom you gave birth only yesterday has grown and grown, and now you’re wondering if it’s time to do away with the booster all together.

Next Steps: Moving from a Rear Facing Only Infant Car Seat

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Jennifer Penick

A 2015 article by a major independent testing company made the recommendation to move from a rear facing only infant car seat to a rear facing convertible or multimode car seat sooner rather than later. Since a majority of newborns come home in a rear facing only car seat and then switch to a convertible

The Safest Seat

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Kathleen Poling

Parents want to keep their kids safe, and as CPSTs it’s our job to help them do just that. Parents often ask us to point them to the safest seat on the market. There’s no simple answer to that question: the safest seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and that you use correctly every time. Age, height, and weight all matter when choosing a seat that fits your little. Research shows that children under age 2, no matter their size, should be in rear facing seats, and older children need boosters until they pass the 5 step test.

The Back Seat is the Right Seat

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Kathleen Poling

Both of these warnings are so ubiquitous that maybe you haven’t stopped to read them (or, maybe, your kids are so loud and busy that you haven’t had the chance). These federally mandated warnings say the same thing: the vehicle’s back seat is the safest place for children under age 13 to ride. Sometimes, this warning reads “12 and under”, but the recommendation remains the same: kids should ride in the back seat if at all possible before they turn 13.

therightseat

Posted on September 13, 2015 by CSFTL

This year’s Child Passenger Safety Week is focusing on #therightseat. What is the right seat for your child? That’s not an easy question, but it’s an important one: injuries in motor vehicles are a leading cause of death in American children. According to the CDC, when properly used, #therightseat for your child reduces his or her risk of injury and death in a car crash by 50-71%.

Size Comparison: Popular Car Seats in Rear Facing Mode

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Liz Tan

Advance EX 65 Air + installed rear facing

If you’ve spent any time on our Facebook group, you might know that we’re big fans of the Safety 1st Advance EX 65 Air + convertible car seat. Why? It has a 50 pound rear facing weight limit, making it the most reasonably priced convertible seat with a weight limit that high.

Car Seat Basics: Disposing of Unusable Car Seats

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Wendy Thomas

It happens. For whatever reason, you car seat cannot be used again. It might have expired, been involved in a recall that requires its destruction, or has been crashed. So now what to do with this hunk of plastic, fabric, and nylon that once protected a child?