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Safety Seats for Children
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Why use a safety seat? Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for young children. Thousands of children are injured each year because they were not in child safety seats, or were in safety seats that were not put in correctly. When used correctly, safety seats reduce the risk of injury and death for infants and for children. How do I chose the right safety seat? Never use a car seat that has been in an accident, even a fender bender. Do not buy a car seat that is more than 5 years old. Many hospitals and health plans have car seat lending programs if you are unable to buy a seat for your child. To protect your child in an accident you need to make sure that you are using the right type of car seat for your car and that it is installed correctly. Read the instruction manual for the safety seat as well as the owner's manual for your car. Some rear car seats are too deep and safety belts are too close together for a secure installation of a safety seat. Many cars need special devices such as a tether strap, locking clip, attaching belt, or extra belt for a tight fit. Newer cars come with a Latch system to attach a car seat safely and easily without using the seat belt. Where is the safest place in a car for my child to ride? The back seat of the car is the safest place for a child to ride. The safest place in most cars for child safety seats is the center of the back seat. Do not put safety seats in the front seat with an air bag system. Air bags that inflate in a accident can kill or badly injure a child in a car seat. All children under the age of 12 should ride in the back seat of the car. All infant-only car seats must face the rear of the car and be in a semi-reclined position until the baby is at least one year old or at least 20 pounds. Some rear-facing seats can be converted to a forward-facing seat when the baby has reached 20 pounds. A strap comes down over each of the baby's shoulders and buckles together at the crotch. Rear-facing car seats support the babies head and neck in case of an accident. Some rear-facing seats are for babies up to 35 pounds. Very small infants or infants with certain health problems may need a special car safety bed or infant seat. Most forward facing seats are for children who weigh between 20 and 40 pounds. When your child has reached 40 pounds and is over 40 inches tall, he or she should be ready for a booster seat. Another way to judge when children are ready for a booster seat is when their shoulders have reached above the harness slots or their ears have reached the top of their forward facing seat. Check the height and weight limits of the booster seat before you buy. Booster seats are typically used until your child is at least 8 years of age. A safe booster seat uses your cars lap and shoulder belts. Booster seats without a back can be used in cars with built in head rests. High-back booster seats should be used in cars without built-in head rests. When your child weighs at least 80 pounds, or is at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, he or she is probably ready to sit in the car with a regular seat belt and without the booster seat. When a child uses an adult seat belt, they must not put the shoulder strap behind them or under their arm. The lap belt should fit snugly low over the thighs. The shoulder belt should fit snugly across the middle of the chest to avoid injury in an accident. Keep the belt away from the child's neck and throat. Installation of the safety seat must be secure. Call the national Seat Check Helpline at 866-SEAT-CHECK (866-732-8243) or visit their Web site at www.seatcheck.org for instructions on how to use safety seats and belts correctly. This Web site also has a list of recalled child safety seats.  Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a
replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
HIA File PRV4674F.HTM Release 9.0/2006. Copyright © 2006 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subdiaries. All Rights Reserved.
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