HOW'S THIS
Car accidents are the #1 killer of kids
4 out of 5 seats are improperly used
Parents make an average of 3 mistakes per seat
Only 1 of 5 kids are in boosters that should be
These deaths are often preventable
In light of NY's most recent legislation upgrade, I urge you to read the following information carefully & share it with child caregiver you know!
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/seat-vt.htm
http://www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/state_laws/restrain2.htm
The new law basically states that all children under 7 years of age must be in the backseat; those under 4 must be in a harnesses style seat & those between 4-7 must be in boosters.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
http://www.car-safety.org/faq.html
TIPS FOR BUYING A SEAT
~ Determine which kind of seat you need
http://www.buckleupamerica.org/booster/index.php
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm
~ Test different seats out in your vehicle to find the best fit {Babies-R-Us welcomes this practice}
~ Test your child in the seats to find the most comfortable
~ Have it checked by a technician: it's free!
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/
~ Read the vehicle & seat manuals thoroughly ¡K more than once
~ Register your seat!
USED SEATS
Generally, it is advised that you never use a handed-down seat, especially if you don't know its history & do not have the owner¡'s manual!
~ The danger with used seats is you might not realize that it has expired {6 years from DOM} or suffered a crash, etc.
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/sesa-chk.htm
CRASH + INSURANCE
It is usually advised that seats which have been in a crash be replaced immediately, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revised their recommendation: seats in minor crashes may be re-used.
~ Most insurance companies will reimburse you for the cost of the seat if you request them to!
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/ReUse/RestraintReUse.htm
TIPS FOR USING CAR SEATS
~ What not to do with car seats!
http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/dontdothis/
Keep your kid happy in the seat: Cloth books, soft puppets, kids music, "I spy" games, etc.
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/635.pdf
~ Bulky coats should be removed before buckling your child because they interfere with the safety of the belt straps & can actually cause young children to be ejected: Wear layers, use hats & hot-packs, give young kids warm blankets to snuggle, warm up the car in advance
REAR FACING
It is recommended that all kids sit RF for as long as possible & certain other countries {Sweden, Italy, etc.} require kids to sit RF up to about 4 years old ... there has never been a single recorded case of leg/foot injury from extended RF, but there have been many cases of neck/spine injuries from FF too soon!
~ Here's why RF is so important for babies less than 12 months AND {not or} 20 pounds!
http://www.britax.fi/quicktime/TWside240.AVI
FORWARD FACING
Remember that toddlers less than one year of age AND less than 20 pounds {again, not either or} must be RF, but FF 5-point harness seats are inherently quite safe when used properly.
~ Some seats even harness kids beyond a mere 40 pounds! *See ALTERNATIVES
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/roemerduo.mpg
SHIELDS
Not recommended by child passenger safety professionals!
~ They have been discontinued, although some stores may sell old stock
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/fivepointshield.aspx
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/shieldbooster.aspx
BOOSTERS
They're for big kids, not toddlers...!
~ Car belts are made for people taller than 4'9"
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosirodi.mpg
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability...passenger_safety/releases/booster_020304.html
http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/BoosterPlayer.htm
The 5-Step Test
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 answered no to any of these questions you're kid needs a booster.
LAP-ONLY BELTS
A big no-no for any passenger!
~ Car manufacturers have recently made 3-point lap/shoulder belts standard for all passengers
http://www.cpsafety.com/images/lapbeltshoulderbelt.jpg
*ALTERNATIVES
~ For kids over 40 pounds & for vehicles with lap-only belts
http://www.saferidenews.com/html/Safetynews.html
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/Retrofit04/index.htm
~ For toddlers traveling in taxis
(Broken link removed, website no longer exists)
~ Infant seats can often be used without the base.
BUSES
http://www.saferidenews.com/pdfs/new_page_pdf/SchBus_Update03.pdf
CAR BUYING
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/BASCKids2004/pages/TOC.htm
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/
http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ratings.htm
http://www.suvsafety.info/ {compares wagons, vans, SUVs}
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/byEPAclassNF.shtml {because pollution hurts kids, too}
AFTER-MARKET PRODUCTS
Items not included with the seat or installed by the vehicle manufacturer have not been crash tested & are likely to decrease the effectiveness of the seat or become a projectile in a crash!
~ NHTSA offers contact information for acceptable add-on products....
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/Add-On04/index.htm
PROJECTILES
Everyday items become dangerous during a crash, causing unnecessary life-threatening injuries that are easily preventable.
~ Keep only soft toys in the car
~ Store pens, phones, etc. in the glove box
~ Store bags in the trunk or under the seat
~ Secure pets with appropriate vehicle restraint systems
http://ruffrider.com/
OTHER LINKS
http://www.saferidenews.com/html/websites.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IthacaAP/links click "Safety"
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/csr2001/csrhtml/
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/child_passenger_safety/precious_cargo/e/e_movies.html
http://www.cubrc.org/centir/programs/backseat_bullet/ctr10-3-02s.WMV
ADVOCACY
Maybe you're wondering why I'm so "gung ho" on this issue. The simple answer is that I'm a concerned citizen & a mom who worries what kind of peer pressure my child will be under when she starts school {"I'm the only one who's mom makes them use a booster!"} But, more than that, I've grown up in the Prosthetics profession & I've seen the life-long results of kids who are improperly buckled. Life throws so many unexpected things at us; our children face so many experiences which we have little to no control over ... I like to try my best to control the things I can when I can! Some parent activists keep the local police station number programmed into their phone to report illegal misuse of child seats, but I also keep a stash of flyers around for random anonymous distribution.
~ Here are some more links you can use to print materials for sharing with others!
http://www.buckleupamerica.org/booster/TeacherGuideFinal1-28.pdf
http://www.nhtsa.com/CPS/booster_seat/brochure/outside.html
http://www.buckleupamerica.org/partnership/2004/cps/Materials/CPSpostcard.pdf
http://www.car--toons.com/category.php?id=25 {car decals}
It prints out as a two-sided single page