If you were in a car crash, whether it be a fender bender or something much more serious, (We hope you’re all okay!) there is a good chance you will need to replace the child restraints in your vehicle. While some seats follow NHTSA’s criteria for reuse after a minor crash, and may not need to be replaced after a minor crash as defined by NHTSA as long as all of the criteria are met, most will need to be replaced after ANY crash.
We’ve all been there. You’ve just poured a bowl of your favorite cereal, and you just can’t wait to get all of that deliciousness in your belly. You open up your jug of milk, and it hits you. That smell. You look at the label and your milk has expired.
Children aren’t the only passengers that need to be safe in vehicles. Are you correctly restrained as well?
It’s a question that comes up with invariable regularity for a CPST: when is my child ready to move from a 5 point harness to a belt positioning booster? Since each child and each situation is different, we’re not armed with one set answer; instead there are there are a few things to consider in making this move.
Ever wonder how car seats came about and what choices parents had at the beginning of production? We’ve been given the chance to review a seat from back in 1978 and would like to cover some of the basics of what has changed since we were kids.
Rear facing is the safest way for kids to ride in the car, no doubt about it. Ideally, kids should ride rear facing until they are 3-4 years old. Most convertible car seats on the market now will easily fit the average 3-year-old rear facing, however, all seats are not created equal in terms of height room. A rear facing seat is generally outgrown when the child’s head is 1″ from the top of the shell or they reach a stated height limit (of course, there are exceptions to both these rules; it’s important to follow the instructions for your specific seat) so the height of the shell is an important number to take into consideration.
Hopefully you’ll never need to know first hand that your seats did their job to protect your Littles, but in the event of a crash, here’s what you need to know.
Hopefully you’ll never need to know first hand that your seats did their job to protect your Littles, but after a crash, here’s what you need to know.
If you’re looking for just the facts about rear facing versus forward facing, you’ve come to the right place. There are multiple factors involved in this discussion; the unique physiology of a young toddler combined with the type of force in the most severe crashes adds up to the perfect storm that puts kids at significant risk if they are forward facing too early.
Did you know car seats expire? Car seats have a lifespan ranging anywhere from 4-12 years. The expiration date may be stamped in the plastic, on a sticker, or you may need to calculate the time based on the date of manufacture.
Rear facing is the best protection for a child’s developing spine. Rear face to a minimum of age 2, ideally age 4.
