Remember, when buying a safety car seat you’re investing in your child’s safety & future.
For some immediate help visit: https://carseat.org/ or https://carseat.psc411.com/ – great for recall information. Check it regularly for any changes or alerts.
Another important safety website is from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – here is their information on safety car seats:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats
Here in San Diego County contact the Pacific Safety Center to check and see if your carseat is installed correctly.
Pacific Safety Council 858-621-2313 x116
*You could also try calling your local police department to see if there is someone trained to help you install your safety car seat.
Know the Law!
- Children 8 years old or 80 pounds must be in a child passenger safety seat. Infants should ride in rear-facing safety seats as long as possible until they are 12 months old and weigh 20 pounds. Children, who are at least 1 year old, weigh 20 to 40 pounds, and can no longer ride rear-facing should ride in forward-facing child safety seats. Children over 40 pounds should be correctly secured in belt-positioning boosters or other appropriate child restraints or safety car seat until the adult lap and shoulder belts fit correctly (usually around age 8). Once the vehicle safety belts fit children, both lap and shoulder belts should be correctly used. All children ages 12 and under should always be properly restrained in the back seat every time, no matter how short the trip.
- All safety seats must be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and vehicle owner’s manual.
- READ YOUR MANUALS! You will be surprised at the information that is available to you.
- “Buckle-UP – it’s a snap!!!” Research shows if you buckle-up your children will buckle-up! As emergency agencies, almost daily we see how wearing a seat restraint increases your chances of survival in a car collision. It’s being prepared for the “un-expected!” And it’s the LAW! A law that’s saving lives!
- Note: As a parent – are you always buckled up correctly – and is your child’s safety car seat installed correctly?
- Unfortunately, studies show over 90% of the safety car seats in use are not installed correctly! So the fatality rate is very high for children involved in car collisions.
- Another fact – not all safety car seats fit all cars!
- When buying a new safety car seat “always” send in the warranty cards in case of recalls. Don’t scrimp on your child’s safety – never buy a car seat from a garage sale or thrift store, or as a hand me down from a friend.
Some Facts about Safety Seats:
- Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injuries and death for children.
- When used correctly, child safety seats can reduce fatal injuries in cars by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for children from age 1-4.
- Don’t forget to always wear your seat belt and be a good safety role model for your children…in everything you do.
