Improper Car Seat Use Blamed for Critically Injuring 18-Month Old

[shauburg]

Here are a few stories about a recent MVC in my city. I really hope that the little guy is okay, but it does not look good

It was quite a coincidence to see this on the late news after I had just spent 2 hours playing with/pre-installing DS's brand new seat. The real install came the next day when DS was awake and ready for harness fitting.

Police urge safe use of child car seats - Edmonton Journal

Proper child seat use urged after toddler injured in crash - CBC

18 month old critically injured in crash - 630 Ched

Family prays for toddler as cops focus on car seat misuse - Edmonton Sun

Just by coincidence a free child safety seat inspection was being held last night (the night after the crash). I went (was already planning to go for DS's new seat) and it was lined up around the block. Half of me is really glad to see all the people taking it seriously now, but the other half of me kind of rolls my eyes at how people always react vs being proactive with their child's safety.

[Jeanum]

Poor baby. I wonder if the wording in the last part of the Edmonton Journal article might actually dissuade parents from having their child's carseat installation checked, because it implies they might be fined at a police inspection clinic? I realize the fine would be assessed in the unfortunate event of a crash, or perhaps during a police stop, right? But the way the article is written, it could be interpreted that fines would be issued when parents show up at the seat check:

A inspection clinic of 73 car seats last year found that 59 per cent of them were secured improperly. An improperly secured seat carries a $115 fine.

I've heard/seen techs comment that some folks are wary of seat check events in the U.S. due a general unease or misunderstanding about the role of the seat check and law enforcement involvement. Maybe the newspaper could issue a clarification and further encourage seat check participation.

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by shauburg

Half of me is really glad to see all the people taking it seriously now, but the other half of me kind of rolls my eyes at how people always react vs being proactive with their child's safety.

I didn't react until I saw the youtube video of Kyle David Miller. Once I saw it, I ordered the Radian65 for my DD#1 and turned my DD#2 back to rfing. The next week I went to a car seat safety check.
Before I saw the video, I *thought* my kids were safe. Really I did. I didn't know that there was an option for harnessing passed 40 pounds. I also wasn't aware that my DD#2 could still be rfing.
So, maybe these parents were thinking "OMG! What if my kids aren't safe?" Just like I did.
I'm happy to hear so many people went. That's so awesome
p.s. at my car seat safety check there was only 3 people there...including me!

[shauburg]

Originally Posted by Jeanum

Poor baby. I wonder if the wording in the last part of the Edmonton Journal article might actually dissuade parents from having their child's carseat installation checked, because it implies they might be fined at a police inspection clinic? ... Maybe the newspaper could issue a clarification and further encourage seat check participation.

That's a good point. I will soon be in contact with an Edmonton tech I met on here (snowbird25ca). Maybe she can write them, as I am sure a request for correction will have more weight coming from a tech.

In re-reading the Edmonton Journal article I also see that it said "The lifespan of a car seat is 10 years.". They should correct that too.

[shauburg]

Originally Posted by EzzieMom

I didn't react until I saw the youtube video of Kyle David Miller. Once I saw it, I ordered the Radian65 for my DD#1 and turned my DD#2 back to rfing. The next week I went to a car seat safety check.
Before I saw the video, I *thought* my kids were safe. Really I did. I didn't know that there was an option for harnessing passed 40 pounds. I also wasn't aware that my DD#2 could still be rfing.
So, maybe these parents were thinking "OMG! What if my kids aren't safe?" Just like I did.

Good points. I guess in a way we are all "reacting", just varying in what point we do it at. Some react to the fact that their child needs a new seat and do in depth research at that point, finding out the real facts before they buy and install. Some get their seat, assume the legal standards are the safest, and then something happens later (i.e. internet videos, local car crash) that pushes them to investigate further. It's the people who never, ever react that are really endangering their children.

I think my comments also stem from the fact that I was always going to go to this clinic, but because it was so busy with people "reacting" to this crash, I did not get in before it closed (of course it's my fault for not arriving earlier).

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by Jeanum

Poor baby. I wonder if the wording in the last part of the Edmonton Journal article might actually dissuade parents from having their child's carseat installation checked, because it implies they might be fined at a police inspection clinic? I realize the fine would be assessed in the unfortunate event of a crash, or perhaps during a police stop, right? But the way the article is written, it could be interpreted that fines would be issued when parents show up at the seat check:

I've heard/seen techs comment that some folks are wary of seat check events in the U.S. due a general unease or misunderstanding about the role of the seat check and law enforcement involvement. Maybe the newspaper could issue a clarification and further encourage seat check participation.

ITA!!! I was scared to go too! (that is until you all helped me figure out how to install the CS properly!)

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by shauburg

Some react to the fact that their child needs a new seat and do in depth research at that point, finding out the real facts before they buy and install. Some get their seat, assume the legal standards are the safest, and then something happens later (i.e. internet videos, local car crash) that pushes them to investigate further.

I'm embarrased to say....I'm the latter of the 2
I assumed they were safe...I had my 5 yr. old (who was just barely 40 pounds when I moved her into a booster..on some days she was 39 pounds) in a backless booster. I thought "heck, it says I can! She's old enough, she weighes enough. She'll be fine. Plus, now she can finally buckle herself, this will make life so much *easier*..she can get in herself, buckle herself, get out herself." I really thought it was so cool to have her in a backless booster.
I had my younger DD FFing bc I could Not bc she had to be. And I had the same thought process as with my older DD. "It's *easier*...now she can see, we'll have more room in the car, she'll be more comfortable, now I can hand her things, now I can see her, what if she was choking? I wouldn't be able to see her if she was rfing." (it was all selfish based really...I wanted things to be *easier* for *me*)
Anyhow- had I never seen the youtube video I probably would have kept on the way I was With one in a backless booster and another FFing. (even when one *could* still be in a 5 point harness tethered in and the other *could* still be rfing) But I'm VERY grateful I did see it and have changed my ways
Sometimes it takes someone elses tradgidty to wake people up.
I hope this little guy recovers quickly. My prayers are with his family.

[snowbird25ca]

Originally Posted by shauburg

That's a good point. I will soon be in contact with an Edmonton tech I met on here (snowbird25ca). Maybe she can write them, as I am sure a request for correction will have more weight coming from a tech.

In re-reading the Edmonton Journal article I also see that it said "The lifespan of a car seat is 10 years.". They should correct that too.

Unfortunately, Transport Canada's official recommendation is 10yrs unless the car seat manufacturer specifies otherwise. So as techs, our hands are really tied with some of the borderline old seats that are over 6 yrs but don't have an expiry date on the seat - of course usually the manual is missing by that time, so they can't look at the manual to see if the seat is expired... Seats are only legally required to have a date of manufacture on them, the manufacturer doesn't have to give an expiry date unless they want too... The good/bad is that most of the 9yr old seats are 2nd hand, so don't meet the used seats guidelines and should be replaced under that... but most parents won't do that, and often refuse to replace expired seats too.

And oh my gosh, I just saw the Sun article and he did have his spinal cord severed. Poor baby would've had a fighting chance if he had been rf'ing. (There hasn't been anything said as to direction the seat was installed, but looking at it in pictures I'm 99% sure it was ff'ing, combine that with his age and the most common use around here...)

I'll have to figure out a letter to the editor clarifying the fine thing. Checks are typically done at firehalls here in the city though and so that wouldn't normally be a factor. Locally they do seat enforcement roadside checks usually only two months of the year during the period assigned to roadside safety. We have what's called a STEP program which stands for selective traffic enforcement program, and they alternate months as to what they enforce which month.

I'm curious to see what stats come out of yesterdays check, because I saw 2 seats installed correctly - and they were prenatal checks, so no babies to check. I will say though, that at this check the errors were on a much smaller scale than on the roadside check Jen and I did with the police when we completed our tech class. I think I did around 12 to 15 seats last night, so that's not a very good statistic - I know some of the other techs had much lower standards for harness tightness though because I shadowed 2 inspections first to see how they did them here... wonder how much that influences the statistics...

[snowbird25ca]

I just saw a better picture of the car seat on the 6pm news and it's a combination seat by evenflo. I can't tell the specific model, I think it's a vision or chase or similar... one that has the front buckle adjust anyways. It might've been physically impossible for them to get him buckled tight enough in that seat depending on how long his torso was.

The family issued a statement on the news tonight thanking everyone for the support they've received. They've started a trust fund for the other kids apparently.

How sad.

[hipmaman]

Originally Posted by Jeanum

Poor baby. I wonder if the wording in the last part of the Edmonton Journal article might actually dissuade parents from having their child's carseat installation checked, because it implies they might be fined at a police inspection clinic? I realize the fine would be assessed in the unfortunate event of a crash, or perhaps during a police stop, right? But the way the article is written, it could be interpreted that fines would be issued when parents show up at the seat check:

I've heard/seen techs comment that some folks are wary of seat check events in the U.S. due a general unease or misunderstanding about the role of the seat check and law enforcement involvement. Maybe the newspaper could issue a clarification and further encourage seat check participation.

My branch (in Mississauga, ON) makes it clear that we are not a law-enforcement organisation and is strongly against the practice of making parents feel afraid to come for help. If/when we see misuse, we educate parents and help them fix the issues, not fining them or take their seats away, etc.

I sometimes do checks with police officers and only one time now that I've seen parents being warned by a police officer on hand due to some really really bad installation AND unwillingness to make changes to correct misuse. The uniformed police officer had to come over and strong-armed the dad into letting us techs fixing the problems.

[Jordynsmama]

Yep I didn't put dd into a regent till I came here....I actually did know their was maybe one seat that harnessed longer-I thought they were an astronomical amount though-like 500. I had heard about it b/c it was some article or something about kids that are very overweight but still 2-3 yrs old and was there seats for them?? I think they talked about the husky....but I thought it was some rare thing and hard to get and crazy expensive and juts a far fetched idea-although I did think about it- But I had her in a booster(bpb) at 40lbs too...then I came here in jan and realized how serious it was, who cares if its 300 and I bought a regent. But I always made sure dd's conv. seat was installed correctly, the straps were tight and not twisted, etc even b4 this site. I was always paranoid b/c I am particular about many many things. When I found this site I could not believe people like me existed Even more freakish than me. But this site just made me worse and I have learned so so much. I would never have bought the regent if it wouldnt have been for this forum...and I sure as hell did not know about ERF which I am so glad I know now!!!

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by Jordynsmama

Yep I didn't put dd into a regent till I came here....I actually did know their was maybe one seat that harnessed longer-I thought they were an astronomical amount though-like 500. I had heard about it b/c it was some article or something about kids that are very overweight but still 2-3 yrs old and was there seats for them?? I think they talked about the husky....but I thought it was some rare thing and hard to get and crazy expensive and juts a far fetched idea-although I did think about it- But I had her in a booster(bpb) at 40lbs too...then I came here in jan and realized how serious it was, who cares if its 300 and I bought a regent. But I always made sure dd's conv. seat was installed correctly, the straps were tight and not twisted, etc even b4 this site. I was always paranoid b/c I am particular about many many things. When I found this site I could not believe people like me existed Even more freakish than me. But this site just made me worse and I have learned so so much. I would never have bought the regent if it wouldnt have been for this forum...and I sure as hell did not know about ERF which I am so glad I know now!!!

yep! same here. aren't you glad you know now? i feel safer and more aware.