Input/feedback on this?

VoodooChile

New member
I'm designing a car seat safety brochure for our day care to use (I've seen some things there that were just plain scary), but I'm no expert. If I paste the full text of what I've got so far in here, I'd love some feedback. PLEASE tell me if I have any false/misleading info, or if something should be added. The formatting isn't coming through here very well. I'm also citing my sources using APA, so please either let me know how to contact you to give you credit, or point me to your source so I can credit it. Thanks a lot!
Infant Carriers
· NEVER place a rear-facing child seat of any sort in a front seat where there is an active frontal airbag.
· Most infant carriers have a weight limit of 22 lbs and a height/length limit of 29”. Please check your manual—if your child is too large for his/her carrier, please replace it with a convertible seat.
· In a rear-facing infant carrier, the harness straps must be at or below your child’s shoulders for a proper fit.
· Keep the chest clip at armpit level, not neck or tummy level.
· Many models require the carrying handle to be down while traveling; some models are reinforced, however. Check your manual before leaving the handle up.

Convertible Seats
· It is safest to leave your child rear-facing for as long as the seat will allow. Most states require children to be rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and 20 pounds; however, most convertible seats have a rear-facing weight limit of 30-35 pounds.
· There is no such thing as the “best” car seat. The best seat for you is one that is properly installed in your vehicle, and fits your price range. All current seats sold pass government safety standards. Choose the seat that has features that allow you to use it correctly.
· Keep harness straps at or below shoulders for a child who is rear-facing, and at or above shoulders for a child that is forward-facing.
· Many models only reinforce the top harness slots for forward-facing; if your child is forward-facing, please check your manual to ensure your harness is safe.
· Keep the chest clip at armpit level, not neck or tummy level.
· When installing your seat, be sure to use the correct seat belt paths or LATCH hooks for either rear- or forward-facing. Don’t use both LATCH and the seat belt.
· A 45 degree recline is recommended for newborns and young infants who are rear-facing. Older babies and toddlers can have less recline.
· When forward-facing, an upright position with no recline is safest.
· It is best not to dress your child in bulky outerwear in his/her car seat. To check if a coat is too bulky, place your child in his/her seat with the coat on and adjust the harness to fit. Then remove your child’s coat and fasten the harness without adjusting. If the harness straps are too loose, the coat is too bulky.
· Some models feature tethers for forward- and sometimes rear-facing to reduce head excursion in a crash. They should be used whenever possible.
· Some models are forward-facing only.

Combination (3-in-1) Seats
· Keep your child harnessed to the top weight limit (usually 40 pounds, but sometimes 65).
· When the child is 40 pounds or their shoulders are above the top harness slots, remove the internal harness and use the seat as a booster with the lap and shoulder belt.
· Some models are forward-facing only.
· In many combo seats, the top harness slots are for adjusting the headrest, and are not designed to be used with the harness. Check your manual, and if the manual is unclear, call the manufacturer to ask if the top slots can be used with the harness.

Boosters
· A child is held in place much better with a 5 point harness than with a booster. If your child will try to move around, fiddle with the seat belt, or falls asleep in the car frequently, consider keeping him/her in a harnessed seat.
· It is not recommended to put a child in a booster who is not at least 4 years old and 40 pounds.
· The shoulder belt should be across the center of the chest, not the neck—use the shoulder belt guide if it doesn’t fit properly.
· The lap belt should be high on the thighs or low on the hips, not over the tummy.
· Use a high back model if your car has low seat backs with no headrests.
· A backless model is fine if your vehicle has headrests, or if there is plenty of growing room from the tops of your child’s ears to the top of the seat back.
· Many kids need to ride in a booster until the ages of 8-10 and the height of 4’9”. To tell if your child is ready to ride without a booster, ask these 5 questions:
1. Does the child sit back all the way 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 the 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 have answered “no” to even one of these questions, your child is safest in a booster seat.
· The back seat is the safest place for children under the age of 15.


Sources
(2007). Car-Safetly.Org Vehicle and Carseat Safety Information. Retrieved January 16,
2007 from Car-Safety,Org Web Site: http://www.car-safety.org
 
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Dsunny1

CPST Instructor
The only thing I saw that might not be as accurate anymore is the top slot only for forward facing. The new seats on the market are reinforced on the lower slots as well, so you can use them forward facing. You did say to check with the manual though, so I guess that would cover it.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'm designing a car seat safety brochure for our day care to use (I've seen some things there that were just plain scary), but I'm no expert. If I paste the full text of what I've got so far in here, I'd love some feedback. PLEASE tell me if I have any false/misleading info, or if something should be added. The formatting isn't coming through here very well. I'm also citing my sources using APA, so please either let me know how to contact you to give you credit, or point me to your source so I can credit it. Thanks a lot!

What a great idea!


Infant Carriers
· NEVER place a rear-facing child seat of any sort in a front seat where there is an active frontal airbag.
· Most infant carriers have a weight limit of 22 lbs and a height/length limit of 29”. Please check your manual—if your child is too large for his/her carrier, please replace it with a convertible seat.
· In a rear-facing infant carrier, the harness straps must be at or below your child’s shoulders for a proper fit.
· Keep the chest clip at armpit level, not neck or tummy level.
· Many models require the carrying handle to be down while traveling; some models are reinforced, however. Check your manual before leaving the handle up.

I think most infant seats are still to 20 pounds, with a few going to 22 and one now on the market going to 30 (there's another expected some time this spring).

Also, the height limits are guidelines. The seat is outgrown by height when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell.

Good call about the handle. A lot of parents don't realize this.

Convertible Seats
· It is safest to leave your child rear-facing for as long as the seat will allow. Most states require children to be rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and 20 pounds; however, most convertible seats have a rear-facing weight limit of 30-35 pounds.

I don't know how many states have laws that say 1 and 20. I know mine has "appropriate use" up to 8 and 80 pounds.

· There is no such thing as the “best” car seat. The best seat for you is one that is properly installed in your vehicle, and fits your price range. All current seats sold pass government safety standards. Choose the seat that has features that allow you to use it correctly.

The best seat is the one that fits your child, fits your budget, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. Can't forget that it must fit the child. :)

· Keep harness straps at or below shoulders for a child who is rear-facing, and at or above shoulders for a child that is forward-facing.
· Many models only reinforce the top harness slots for forward-facing; if your child is forward-facing, please check your manual to ensure your harness is safe.
· Keep the chest clip at armpit level, not neck or tummy level.
· When installing your seat, be sure to use the correct seat belt paths or LATCH hooks for either rear- or forward-facing. Don’t use both LATCH and the seat belt.
· A 45 degree recline is recommended for newborns and young infants who are rear-facing. Older babies and toddlers can have less recline.
· When forward-facing, an upright position with no recline is safest.
· It is best not to dress your child in bulky outerwear in his/her car seat. To check if a coat is too bulky, place your child in his/her seat with the coat on and adjust the harness to fit. Then remove your child’s coat and fasten the harness without adjusting. If the harness straps are too loose, the coat is too bulky.
· Some models feature tethers for forward- and sometimes rear-facing to reduce head excursion in a crash. They should be used whenever possible.

All models now feature FFing tethers. Britax and Sunshine Kids are the only ones with RFing tethers. The RFing ones don't prevent head excursion (since that's not an issue RFing) they prevent rebound.

· Some models are forward-facing only.

No convertible is forward facing only. By nature, they convert from RFing to FFing. That's why they're convertibles. :)

Combination (3-in-1) Seats

Combination and 3 in 1s are different. A 3 in 1 means it RFs, FFs, and then is used as a booster. A combination seat is a FFing harnessed seat that turns into a booster. If you want to combine them then I'd say Combination/3-in-1 seats, since they do have similar characteristics for what you're saying.

· Keep your child harnessed to the top weight limit (usually 40 pounds, but sometimes 65).
· When the child is 40 pounds or their shoulders are above the top harness slots, remove the internal harness and use the seat as a booster with the lap and shoulder belt.

If you're going to mention the 65 pound weight limit the Apex has then I'd put in this one that when the child is over the harness weight limit, rather than 40 pounds as then those who got the Apex (or the SafeGuard Go which goes to 60 pounds) won't think they need to remove the straps at 40.

· Some models are forward-facing only.

A true combination seat is FFing only. Only the 3 in 1s RFing. There are only one or two of those on the market.

· In many combo seats, the top harness slots are for adjusting the headrest, and are not designed to be used with the harness. Check your manual, and if the manual is unclear, call the manufacturer to ask if the top slots can be used with the harness.

I think this is true in combination seats that have headrests. Probably the most popular combination seat, the CarGo, has no headrest and all slots may be happily used for the harness.

Boosters
· A child is held in place much better with a 5 point harness than with a booster. If your child will try to move around, fiddle with the seat belt, or falls asleep in the car frequently, consider keeping him/her in a harnessed seat.
· It is not recommended to put a child in a booster who is not at least 4 years old and 40 pounds.
· The shoulder belt should be across the center of the chest, not the neck—use the shoulder belt guide if it doesn’t fit properly.
· The lap belt should be high on the thighs or low on the hips, not over the tummy.
· Use a high back model if your car has low seat backs with no headrests.
· A backless model is fine if your vehicle has headrests, or if there is plenty of growing room from the tops of your child’s ears to the top of the seat back.

It's not required but younger children often don't fit with a backless. They're good for older children who are too tall or who literally just need a boost, but most young kids need the belt guide as well. Also, no backs provide no side impact protection. Something worth mentioning, I think.

· Many kids need to ride in a booster until the ages of 8-10 and the height of 4’9”. To tell if your child is ready to ride without a booster, ask these 5 questions:
1. Does the child sit back all the way 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 the 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 have answered “no” to even one of these questions, your child is safest in a booster seat.
· The back seat is the safest place for children under the age of 15.


Sources
(2007). Car-Safetly.Org Vehicle and Carseat Safety Information. Retrieved January 16,
2007 from Car-Safety,Org Web Site: http://www.car-safety.org

Excellent! Well thought out. :)

Wendy
 

ajweeks

New member
I would keep in the FF harness in the top slots tip because I think that my touriva is only reinforced in the top slots. The manual is unclear, but looking at the back of the seat, it seems that only the top slot has this. Some people with convertables that are a few years old, might still have only the top slot reinforced.
 

Splash

New member
I'd take out the budget part, and just say that the best seat "fits the car, fits the child, and will be used correctly every time." Budget has no influence on safety. People here hate Consumer Reports for factoring price into the 'best' seat, we should not be guilty of the same.
Also, I WOULD point out that all seats meet the government MINIMUM, but some seats go above that and had added safety features.

Only Dorel/Cosco/Eddie Bauer/Safety 1st have the stupid "top slot for booster only" rule, so I would change that from many to some.

Throw in the high weight harness models.

Mention that seats expire (I didn't see if you had that or not).

Add some websites for further information, such as www.thecarseatlady.com, www.cpsafety.com, www.safekids.org, www.carseat.org, www.seatcheck.org and of course www.car-seat.org!

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have your seat checked by a CPST!
 

HeatherDG

New member
Would you mind posting a final copy or I can PM you my e-mail? I'd love to drop it off at my son's daycare. I see some horribly scary carseat situations at pick up time. :eek: I know that with budgets and finances it's hard to get extra carseats sometimes but I can't believe how many people uninstall their carseats and drop them off at the daycare to be picked up by whomever picks up the child in the afternoon. I would do it if I had to but the installation every afternoon would drive me nuts! Even with the Triumph which I have installed eleventy billion times, it still takes me 10ish minutes to get everything correct to my satisfaction. Heck it took me 1.5 hours to install the Regent the first time and 45 minutes to install it the second time in DH's car.
 

Wineaux

New member
Heck, I'll print some out and send them with my wife to work! She's a NICU nurse and I can't think of a better place to have something like this. I'd even give some to her OB-GYN who will be delivering our new baby in July!
 

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