The child passenger safety world is full of outdated information that has been spread by well meaning individuals. One of the most common misconceptions is which position the handle on a rear facing only seat must be in while in use in the car.
Ever wonder what that funny looking strap and plastic piece are that comes with your booster? It is called a shoulder belt positioning clip and is used to keep the shoulder belt at the correct position when using a backless booster. The fabric loop attaches to the bottom of the booster and the red clip attaches to the shoulder belt above the shoulder. Make sure to read your car seat manual to find out exactly where to attach it and when to use it!
It’s hopefully common knowledge now that rear facing in the car is the safest way for toddlers to ride. As a child passenger safety technician, I’ve heard all the reasons that parents choose to forward face too early, and I’d like to provide some answers to those questions here. Hopefully, this guide will help keep your child rear facing as long as possible!
Fortunately, we know that the law is not enough to keep children safe. NHTSA, Safe Kids, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend that children between 8 and 12 years old continue to use a booster until they fit the belt correctly alone, usually around 4’9″.
Wonder when your Little’s car seat is outgrown? Refer to your manual to check the limits for your child’s weight and height, and rules about how the child fits in the seat! Many rear facing car seats require 1″ of shell above the head – a 1″ tall book is a great easy way to measure!
As a general rule, products sold separately from your child restraint should not be used because these products may affect the safety of your restraint in a crash. Even a seemingly minor change to your restraint could alter the way is designed and tested to perform in a crash, resulting in serious injury or death.
Are your car seat straps in the right spot? Remember, rear facing: at or below; forward facing: at or above!
Yesterday we posted the picture on the left on our Facebook page and asked you all to guess all of the misuses. You guys did great! Today, we’ve corrected everything for the photo on the right, which is an example of proper buckling.
To know if a car seat’s harness is tight enough, it must pass the pinch test. Adjust the harness, then try to pinch the webbing at the child’s shoulder. Be aware that slack can be hiding in some additional locations: at the child’s hips at the child’s torso If you can grasp any material and
Or more precisely, in the middle of the sternum. The retainer clip is designed to keep the straps parallel over the torso in a crash. Too low and the child could be ejected from the seat in a crash; too high and the child could suffer a neck injury. Line it up with the top of the child’s armpits, and it’ll be just right every time!
