Home | News Releases | National Child Passenger Safety Week - February 11-17, 2007

National Child Passenger Safety Week - February 11-17, 2007

BINGHAMTON, NY - According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of childhood deaths. Motor vehicle crashes account for nearly 42% of all unintentional childhood injury-related deaths ages 0-14. Children are our future, and we need to keep them safe when riding in a vehicle. That is why this month we recognize National Child Passenger Safety Week, February 11-17. Using proper child restraint systems (CRS) correctly every time can help prevent these childhood deaths and injuries. This may sound simple but choosing and installing a child safety seat can be pretty complicated. Many parents are unsure of what kind of child safety seat to purchase, where/how to install it in their vehicle, which belt path to use, how tight the harness straps should be, and the list goes on. These are not uncommon problems and concerns. National statistics show that 80% of parents in the United States are using child safety seats incorrectly. And no wonder….child passenger safety is an ever changing concept. Every day newer laws and technology are created to improve the protection of our children. The best way to keep your child safe is to read the child safety seat manual and vehicle manual. Together they will tell you exactly how to install the child safety seat in your vehicle. If after doing this you find you are still having trouble with the installation, find a local child passenger safety technician who can help you with any questions or concerns you may have.

Follow these information tips when selecting and installing a child safety seat:

  • When purchasing a child safety seat make sure that the seat has passed all safety testing, is appropriate for the child’s age, size and weight, is compatible with your vehicle, is easy to use and is comfortable for your child.
  • Infant car seats should be installed rear facing at a 45 degree angle.
  • Never place a rear facing car seat in front of an active air bag!
  • A child must stay rear facing until they reach 1 year old AND are at least 20 lbs.
  • If a child starts to outgrow their infant car seat before they reach 1 year old, use a convertible seat in the rear facing position.
  • Harness straps should be at or below a child’s shoulders if they are rear facing and at or above when they are forward facing.
  • Harness straps should be tight enough to slip only one finger between the harness and the child’s collar bone.
  • The harness retainer clip should be at armpit level.
  • Children under the age of 7 and under 4’9” tall must use a booster seat.
  • The safest place to install a car seat is in the back seat in the middle.
  • Install the car seat using either the vehicle seatbelts or the LATCH system. Never both!
  • To get a tight installation, compress the car seat into the vehicle seat by either using your hand or knee. Once installed, the car seat should not move more than 1” at the belt path.
  • Do not use second hand seats. It is hard to know the crash history of a used car seat. If it has been in a crash, the seat may be compromised.
  • Do not use seats that are more than 10 years old. Car seats expire! Check the manufacturer’s date—it’s on the label!
  • Always fill out and mail in your registration card on new car seats. If there is a recall on that car seat or special safety instructions, the manufacturer will notify you.

Child safety seats are the best protection when transporting your child, so use them. If you are in a crash, a child safety seat that is properly installed will prevent ejection from the vehicle, distribute the crash forces to the strongest parts of the skeleton and spread them over a broad area of the body, helping the body “ride down” the crash and protect the head and spinal cord. Statistics show that child safety seats are 71% effective in reducing deaths for infants and 54% effective in reducing deaths for children ages 1 to 4 in passenger cars. And parents don’t get too caught up in purchasing the most expensive car seat. It is not always an indicator that it’s the best car seat for your child. The best car seat for you child is one that fits your child, one that fits your vehicle and one that you will use correctly every time.

For more information about child passenger safety or to have your child safety seat checked, contact Christine Muss, Broome County Traffic Safety Coordinator and Child Passenger Safety Technician at the Broome County Health Department, 607.778.2807 or . To find other Child Passenger Safety Technicians in your area visit the Safe Kids Campaign Website at www.safekids.org. To check the recall status of your car seat, contact the car seat manufacturer or visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

CONTACT:
Carrie Abbott, Supervising Public Health Educator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.2884
email:

Christine Muss, Traffic Safety Coordinator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.2807
email:

Older Press Releases are online for archival purposes only. If you need updated information regarding items contained in these press releases please call or email the contact person listed for the release. Thank you.

Published Date: 02-06-2007

 
 

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