Whether you’re a brand new parent or have a minivan full of Littles, it can never hurt to review the basics of car seat safety. Take a few moments to check all of these in regards to your child’s car seat – it might just save their life.
Anyone who has been doing this kid thing for a while knows how much the world of car seats has changed even in the last decade, let alone the last twenty years. I’m the admin currently with the oldest “Little” so I’ve been at this for a while now. AJ is 11.5 years old now and I’ve been a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) for almost nine years now; so I like to think I have a lot of real world experience when it comes to the changes that have been made over the years.
Parents always worry if their child is in their harnessed seat correctly. Is the harness at the right height? Properly tightened? Chest clip on the chest? No one thinks about boosters much though. Put kid in, buckle, and go. Many boosters are used incorrectly though and in turn do not provide the proper protection.
Last year, we discussed the science behind why rear facing is safer than forward facing for toddlers and children through four years of age. In this edition of the Science Junkie’s Guide, we will look at booster seats and why they are important for children all the way through puberty. We have also briefly touched on how boosters provide a better fit for children who are nearing the legal age or height to no longer need a booster seat.
The focus of the 2014 Child Passenger Safety Week is “Don’t Delay- Register Your Car Seat Today.” Why do car seats need to be registered though? Unfortunately, like anything else that is manufactured, there are sometimes recalls on car seats. Often they are simple and you can continue to use the seat until the fix is available, but occasionally, the recall is stop, do not pass go, do not use your car seat again until fixed. This is obviously important information to have as the faster you can get this information, the better.
It’s about halfway through summer and sixteen children in the United States have lost their lives to hyperthermia due to being left in a vehicle. It’s utterly heartbreaking every time a new one hits the headlines because it is so very preventable. Think it could never happen to you? Think you could never, ever, forget about your child in a car? Think again.
Driver safety and safety features in vehicles are evolving as fast as technology allows. Many of the things we learned during drivers’ education are now absolutely wrong, thanks to advances in occupant protection. There have also been advances to occupant protection that have nothing to do with what I learned in driver’s education but are
Everything you purchase comes with a manual, whether it is a lawn mower or a DVD player. When you are preparing for a child, multiply that by a bouncer, a high chair, a stroller and a swing. Chances are, you read them to know how to put them together and their basic function.
So, you’re scrolling through your local buy-sell-and-trade page, or your local craigslist ads, searching for maybe a new stroller, or some baby clothes for that little one that doesn’’t seem to stop growing. Then, you stumble across an ad for a car seat. “EXCELLENT CONDITION” is what the caption says, along with “Not expired!” It may be a great deal, a bargain, half of what that seat retails for in a store.
I like to think I’m a good driver. I abide by the speed limit, use my turn signal, stow my cell phone, and don’t drive when weather conditions are compromised. I have never been in an accident as a driver and I have not received any citations. I pay attention to my surroundings and limit distractions.
