What Every Parent Needs to Know
About Car Seats
Quick Tips on Proper Car Seat Use
by Alison Rhodes, "The Safety Mom"
n speaking with several maternity nurses I was amazed to find out how many new dads come to the hospital to take their baby home having no clue how to secure their child into the car seat, let alone install it into the car. I must admit that it does seem to take an engineering degree to figure out how to secure it snugly in the car. In fact, according to the Safe Kids Coalition, 82 percent of all car seats are installed and/or being used incorrectly. And National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration statistics indicate motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 3-14.
In addition to having problems securing car seats properly, most parents don’t know the appropriate height and age requirements for car seats and booster seats. Fortunately most towns have a police officer on staff who has been thoroughly trained in the installation of car seats and will be happy to check that your car seat is installed properly and update you on requirements for each type of seat. Usually this service is free of charge to residents of the town or a nominal fee for a resident of a neighboring town.
The following are some quick tips on proper car seat use:
Booster seats are as important as car seats! A child should remain in a booster seat, rather than using an adult seat belt, until he or she is 57 inches tall and weighs between 80 and 100 pounds. Many parents are too quick to move their child out of this seat. Every state has different requirements so check on your state’s website.
Visit The Cradle’s Reference Guide for resources on car safety.
About The AuthorAfter experiencing the death of her child from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Rhodes became committed to saving children’s lives and is the national voice for child safety. As one of the country’s leading child safety authorities, Rhodes provides tips and advice to parents on a broad range of issues. She has been featured on numerous television segments including NBC’s The Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, CNN, and CNBC. Rhodes has also been featured in a variety of publications including American Baby Magazine, Parents, BabyTalk, and The New York Times. Rhodes has worked with many leading brands including Safety 1st, VTech Toys, and Norton Technology as a spokesperson and brand ambassador. Alison lives with her husband and three children in Wilton, Connecticut.
