With car crashes still the leading cause of death and injury
to children in the U.S., it’s easy to see why families
often question how to protect their newborns. To make matters worse, most
accidents happen within 10 miles of families’ own homes. —
Which is why everyone’s favorite online deal site for
parents, babies & kids, TOTSY.com, one of America’s leading car seat
manufacturers, BRITAX and nationally renowned Car Seat Lady, Dr.
Alisa Baer are banding together to make sure
kids are traveling safe. With more than four million babies born in
the U.S. every year, it’s essential for every parent to understand the proper
steps when bringing their kids home for the first time and every time they get
in the car.
Do you know the latest and best practices for car seats and
boosters? The answers may be different from what you’ve learned in the past. Here’s some expert knowledge on how to keep your kids safe in the car.
The Basics
1. Parents may
think that it is okay to let a child ride without a car seat or booster when
the drive isn’t long. Use a safety restraint on EVERY trip, no matter how
short. Studies show that most crashes with children occur within 10
minutes of home and on roads with speed limits of 45 mph or less.
2. A properly
installed car seat goes a long way but a good driver goes further. That means
no texting, talking on the phone, or any other distractions like comforting
your fussy baby. If the baby gets restless, pull over. Keep your eye out for
great deals on soft toys on sites like TOTSY to keep in the car.
Buying A Car Seat
3. The quality and safety
of second-hand car seats are no match to new, approved car seats and should not
be used if parents do not know the history of the seat, as they may have been
in a crash, have missing parts, may have been recalled or damaged. Every
car seat sold in the U.S. must pass the same rigorous crash
tests so every car seat is safe as long as you use it properly every time and
it fits your child and car. Online sites like TOTSY.com offer
periodic sales for car seats and boosters at 40% – 90% off so keep an eye out
for those special deals.
Where To Place It
4. Where your child
is sitting matters. The center is 43% safer than the side – so whenever
possible, install your child’s car seat in the center. With two kids, keep the
older child in the center as they are typically less protected than the baby.
The Best Fit
5. Snug harness
straps and a snug fit of the car seat to the car gives your child a parachute
landing in a car crash – as slow and gentle as possible while loose harness
straps or a loose car seat can cause injury.
When To Change
6. Parents often forward
face a car seat after the child turns one. The right order of progression
is rear-facing till at least age 2, then forward-facing, then booster, then seat belt and, finally, front seat. Don’t rush your child to the next stage as
every step is a decrease in your child’s safety and don’t worry if their legs
look cramped in a rear-facing car seat—babies are flexible! Your toddler is too
big for rear-facing when their head is one inch or less of the convertible car
seat top or at the weight limit, which is 35-40 pounds for most seats.
7. Forward facing
is ALWAYS better with a tether! Tethers keep your child’s brain and
spinal cord safer by decreasing how far your child’s head will move forward in
a crash by 6-8 inches.
8. Keep your child
in a five-point harness until they are at least four years old, at least 40
pounds and mature enough to sit still in a booster. With many five-point
harnesses going to 60 or more pounds, school age kids can continue to ride in a
five-point harness before transitioning to a booster.
9. Don’t skip the
booster! They keep the lap belt properly positioned on a child’s strong hip
bones, not on their abdomen where it can cause internal injuries in a crash.
10. Your child is ready to ride
without a booster when they pass The 5-Step Test (for most kids, this is around
age 10).
The
5-Step Test (c) SafetyBeltSafe USA
1. Does the child
sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child’s
knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt
cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt
as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child
stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If you can answer yes to all 5 questions, the child is safe to
ride without a booster.
GIVEAWAY: For
a chance to win a customized Britax car seat, email us
explaining why you’d like to win and put “Safe Travels” in the
subject line. Don’t forget to include your contact information. Then, post on our Facebook page telling us about your holiday travel plans. Deadline is Friday, October 21.
