Do you think that Car Seat safety information is out there enough?

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

As A mom of 3 from 21 years to 2.5 with a 6 yr old thrown in the middle.. I don't.

In all the searching I did on making sure my kids are safe, reading the manuals, Doing what I thought I was supposed to, I found that I have not been as safe and that my car seats were not properly installed.

There is so much to know..

Do you think that more could be done to make sure parents are well informed?

joolsplus3 · Oct 29, 2010

Yup. I'm always amazed that people seem to have only the same primitive level of carseat understanding I did when I had my first child 13 years ago, even though things have changed SO MUCH in that time (RF past a year still seems foreign, harnessed past 3? No one really wants to. People hardly know what a top tether is. They think it's insane to use a booster to the full 4 foot 9 to 5 feet when the adult belt fits properly... well, I shouldn't say no one, we've gone from maybe 1% of people knowing this stuff back then to maybe 10% now, but why isn't it 100%????)

Have you read all the www.carseatblog.com entries yet? They are all extremely informative on all the issues (Darren and Heather and Kecia, the owner and moderators here, are the main contributors)... if you have a facebook page and want to share them there, that'd be a great way to get the message out (Personally, I got certified, 'work' mostly online, and also have been at various baby stores, trying to catch people and give them proper info even before they have the baby, or at least when they are shopping for the next seat up. It's not a million dollar ad campaign, but I think I'm making at least a little difference

)

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

joolsplus3 said:
Yup. I'm always amazed that people seem to have only the same primitive level of carseat understanding I did when I had my first child 13 years ago, even though things have changed SO MUCH in that time (RF past a year still seems foreign, harnessed past 3? No one really wants to. People hardly know what a top tether is. They think it's insane to use a booster to the full 4 foot 9 to 5 feet when the adult belt fits properly... well, I shouldn't say no one, we've gone from maybe 1% of people knowing this stuff back then to maybe 10% now, but why isn't it 100%????)

Have you read all the www.carseatblog.com entries yet? They are all extremely informative on all the issues (Darren and Heather and Kecia, the owner and moderators here, are the main contributors)... if you have a facebook page and want to share them there, that'd be a great way to get the message out (Personally, I got certified, 'work' mostly online, and also have been at various baby stores, trying to catch people and give them proper info even before they have the baby, or at least when they are shopping for the next seat up. It's not a million dollar ad campaign, but I think I'm making at least a little difference )

I am really really glad I found this site. This has been the most complete information I have found. In searching before and trying to make sure I got all the information, I only had bits and pieces.

It is scary to me.

I think that better funding would be a great way to start.

LISmama810 · Oct 29, 2010

The information is absolutely out there, but people generally do need to search for it on their own, and a lot of people don't know that they need to know anything.

Manuals do, usually, give the proper information, but often in a confusing way. They also can't speak to every situation that might come up in any individual car. I think it's also hard for people to visualize written instructions. I would love it if car seats came with CDs of installation videos. (The SafeGuard did that. I thought it was ingenious.)

As for brochures and whatnot, there's a lot that goes into that. Brochures cost money to produce and distribute, and agencies are hurt for cash these days (not to mention that it's not often a topic of priority even in good times).

The main factor, I think, is that child passenger safety is a relatively new field, as I mentioned in one of your other threads.

We all know to wear seatbelts because that point has been driven into us since we were children.

We all know that smoking is bad because that point has been driven into us since we were children.

Car seats (especially modern car seats and modern recommendations) are not something that has been central to our lives since we were children. Many of us didn't have car seats at all, or only for a brief time.

It takes a few generations for something to become ingrained into society, and that's even harder when recommendations change. (It took a long time for the idea of 1 and 20 to become standard, and it will take a long time before "as long as possible" becomes standard.)

So, bottom line: Do I think there could be more information out there? Absolutely. At the same time, do I lament current efforts? No. I think we have actually come a long way in a short period of time. I think things are changing, slowly but surely.

I think by the time our children are parents, things will be very different.

joolsplus3 · Oct 29, 2010

I remember feeling the same way when I found the carseat board at Ivillage in 2001 (most of them are here, now, because Darren runs such a nice board

). Like...oooh...people like me, with all the answers....squeeeeal!

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

I just don't think this should be information anyone has to search for. It should be IN YOUR FACE INFORMATION.

I am an informed parent. I make sure I know everything about things that affect my children. I followed the manuals and installed car seats to the best of my ability.

I was devastated the day I came here and found out that I had endangered my kids by not having them done right.

Basically what I learned on my own was to make sure they were in tight and did not move. What I find out is that there are places that are not supposed to have car seats installed in the car, That the belts need to lay a certain way to be safe.. that kids should not wear heavy coats, that kids should be rear facing as long as they can. That too snug can be bad too.

I am so grateful for this place. But I want to make sure more people have access to this information..

carseatcoach · Oct 29, 2010

At least 75% of misuse would be prevented if parents read the carseat manual and vehicle manual cover to cover. It *is* out there.

NebraskaMom · Oct 29, 2010

No there isn't.

I've been consistently working in my area to spread the word. I would love to get a youtube channel up and running with all the basic information...which would include:

-crash test videos of all sorts and situations
-the proper installation of as many seats I could get my hands on
-what happens if a winter coat is worn with the harness
-actual demonstrations of properly wearing a seat belt in a booster
-actual demonstrations of many different sized/weight children doing the 5-step booster test
-actual pictures/videos of ERF and EHing seats occupied by real kids (all sizes/heights)

Then I'd love to add a "question/comment/concern" section for people who need a specific seat shown in a specific car, etc...

I would have as many technicians/instructors as I could working on it together to make it as informative as possible.

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

NebraskaMom said:
No there isn't.

I've been consistently working in my area to spread the word. I would love to get a youtube channel up and running with all the basic information...which would include:

-crash test videos of all sorts and situations
-the proper installation of as many seats I could get my hands on
-what happens if a winter coat is worn with the harness
-actual demonstrations of properly wearing a seat belt in a booster
-actual demonstrations of many different sized/weight children doing the 5-step booster test
-actual pictures/videos of ERF and EHing seats occupied by real kids (all sizes/heights)

Then I'd love to add a "question/comment/concern" section for people who need a specific seat shown in a specific car, etc...

I would have as many technicians/instructors as I could working on it together to make it as informative as possible.

I have been posting everything I learn here on my facebook page. Links to the forum and information and proper install videos.

I remember the nurse coming to check my son's car seat when we left the hospital. Big deal? He was in the car seat right but was the base installed right in my car? They don't check that.. And I had to adjust the strap back up when she told me I could move it down..

Why don't hospitals have techs there to make sure these kids go home safely?

LISmama810 · Oct 29, 2010

Well, there are two different issues: Strict installation matters, and "best practice" recommendations. And I guess some middle ground, like winter coats.

Seating positions and how the seatbelt should lie are things that ARE addressed in seat and vehicle manuals. Ditto harness positions, weight limits, etc.

Things like winter coats, projectile, aftermarket products, etc. might or might not be (though car seat manuals are getting better about mentioning it).

There are some more esoteric things like twisting a buckle stalk or flipping a buckle that typically aren't mentioned, probably because of the likelihood of people doing it wrong or unnecessarily.

Things like LATCH limits NEED NEED NEED NEED NEED to be in EVERY SINGLE vehicle manual if we're supposed to take them seriously, but usually they aren't.

As for extended rear-facing, keeping kids harnessed until they're mature enough for a booster, keeping kids harnessed/boostered until they fit properly in a seatbelt... These are things that are, like I said, matters that are going to take longer to change because they are unfamiliar concepts. I do believe we're making progress.

I have said before that I would love for pediatricians to be more on-board with best practice recommendations. (I don't think that doctors SHOULD make recommendations on non-medical parenting issues, but the fact is that that they DO, and most parents will blindly trust anything a doctor tells them. If a doctor says to keep a kid rear-facing until 3, they'll do it. If the doctor says to turn them FF at 9 months, they'll do that, too.)

LISmama810 · Oct 29, 2010

Baylor said:
Why don't hospitals have techs there to make sure these kids go home safely?

Some do, but it's an added expense in addition to a huge liability issue.

Our local children's hospitals do have techs, but only to assist in special needs circumstances. They also give presentations to expectant parents and do free seat check events, but they do not check the seats of babies routinely leaving the hospital.

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

LISmama810 said:
Some do, but it's an added expense in addition to a huge liability issue.

Our local children's hospitals do have techs, but only to assist in special needs circumstances. They also give presentations to expectant parents and do free seat check events, but they do not check the seats of babies routinely leaving the hospital.

Man that is sad..

LISmama810 · Oct 29, 2010

It's clear, based on your posts, that this is a very passionate issue for you, and that's a great thing.

I think nearly all of us went through a phase where we were very idealistic and wanted to set out to save the world.

Then I think we all came to the conclusion that we can't...at least not immediately.

We can't help every child. Change takes time.

That's not to say that we don't care. We obviously do, or we wouldn't be here. But things won't and can't change overnight, so we have to temper our passion and do our best within the existing framework.

BookMama · Oct 29, 2010

You know, I always feel a little defensive when this question is asked, as if somehow those of us doing our best to educate parents aren't working hard enough, or doing enough.

The information IS out there. In my experience, most parents (obviously I don't mean you) don't bother to read their car seat manual. Heck, even just reading and following the stickers on the car seat would tell a parent nearly everything they need to know.

Baylor said:
Basically what I learned on my own was to make sure they were in tight and did not move. What I find out is that there are places that are not supposed to have car seats installed in the car, That the belts need to lay a certain way to be safe.. that kids should not wear heavy coats, that kids should be rear facing as long as they can. That too snug can be bad too.

I'm not going to engage in a point-by-point discussion of this, but most (if not all) of this should be covered in the car seat or vehicle manual. I agree that many car seat manuals could use a good editor

and many vehicle manuals don't include the LATCH limit, but most info is there.

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

BookMama said:
You know, I always feel a little defensive when this question is asked, as if somehow those of us doing our best to educate parents aren't working hard enough, or doing enough.

The information IS out there. In my experience, most parents (obviously I don't mean you) don't bother to read their car seat manual. Heck, even just reading and following the stickers on the car seat would tell a parent nearly everything they need to know.

I'm not going to engage in a point-by-point discussion of this, but most (if not all) of this should be covered in the car seat or vehicle manual. I agree that many car seat manuals could use a good editor and many vehicle manuals don't include the LATCH limit, but most info is there.

I think it is too confusing for the average parent. I never knew there was a weight limit on my car latches. I bet most parents don't.

I don't think this is any reflection on the people here or people who choose to become certified and volunteer their time and efforts. I think that is the best step ever!

I just think that for the masses there needs to be more information, easier to understand and more checks in general.
Why can't my son's school have an organized seat check? Do you have any idea how many children I see piling in the car at the end of the day, Well under adult seat belt regs? The should all be boostered. Some kids get right in the front seat.

I know that I sound obsessed and well maybe I am a little. Because I have found out how easy it is to be under informed.

carseatcoach · Oct 29, 2010

If you think your son's school should have an organized seat check, get in touch with SafeKids and organize one. Be prepared that most parents will decline to participate.

Baylor · Oct 29, 2010

I bet you are right.

I want you all to know that I think this place is amazing. I have learned more here in the last week than I have anywhere else asking for the information.

I am not at all asking this in reference to this place or anyone here. I am more talking about General distribution..

BookMama · Oct 29, 2010

Baylor said:
I think it is too confusing for the average parent. I never knew there was a weight limit on my car latches. I bet most parents don't.

I don't think this is any reflection on the people here or people who choose to become certified and volunteer their time and efforts. I think that is the best step ever!

I just think that for the masses there needs to be more information, easier to understand and more checks in general.
Why can't my son's school have an organized seat check? Do you have any idea how many children I see piling in the car at the end of the day, Well under adult seat belt regs? The should all be boostered. Some kids get right in the front seat.

I know that I sound obsessed and well maybe I am a little. Because I have found out how easy it is to be under informed.

Parents need to be more concerned about car seat safety - most just don't get how important it is, so they really don't give it much thought. For example, those little kids in the front seat - the vehicle visor says right on it that kids under 12 should sit in the back seat, and that sitting in front of an airbag could result in serious injury or even death for a child. I'd be shocked if most parents haven't read their vehicle visor at some point. Can't get more clear than that. And yet, they choose to ignore it for whatever reason.

For those parents who do care, a quick Google search provides a wealth of information to supplement any manuals that may be confusing. :thumbsup:

christineka · Oct 29, 2010

Yes, the information is out there. I received a pamphlet from the hospital after dd1 was born. It was entitled something like, "90% of car seats are misused". I decided I didn't need to read it because I knew how to use a car seat. (Yeah right!)

There are car seat checks often in your bigger cities. I don't live in one now. We tend to have seat checks once every 2 years. If you go to a seat check, you can usually learn the basics. I learned quite a bit from the first seat check that I went to

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who don't want to learn. They really don't care. They figure any car seat, booster, or seat belt is safe enough. There are a lot of people out there who just do whatever they feel is the most convenient. It really doesn't matter because they are safe drivers and won't be in an accident anyway. (Or so they believe.) Even my own dh thinks there's no point to all these car seats and having them used to the safest degree. (Rfing extra long, high back boosters, booster past 8.) We have never had an accident ever.

ETA: The only reason I went to the seat check was to get free swimming passes. I was certain that I knew how to use a car seat properly.

hrice · Oct 29, 2010

I wish there was a basics of car seat safety checklist affixed to the harness of new car seats so at least parents would know that there needs to be less than one inch of movement, where to place a chest clip, how snug harness straps need to be, the importance of using the top tether, etc. Just the basics that most parents don't know.

Do you think that Car Seat safety information is out there enough?

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