Important Car Seat Statistics

Installing a car seat correctly is the most important thing you can do to protect your child or newborn if you are in a crash. If you ever doubted how important a car seat is you'll change your mind once you realize the shocking facts about automobile accidents. First and most importantly, most parents assume that their child is safe whether their car seat is installed correctly. This is FALSE! Other parents mistakenly believe they installed their seat correctly. Unfortunately this is often not the case.

If you use your car seat wrongly or install it improperly you might be in for a big surprise. Studies conducted by transportation authorities in Canada and the U.S. show that four of every ten children are not riding in their car seats correctly. This is because of either improper installation or use of a car seat. Why might this concern you?

Car seats save babies lives. Your baby's risk of death or injury increases tenfold when your car seat is improperly installed or misused. When used correctly, your baby's odds of surviving a bad wreck increase 71%. When you are in a car crash, the force your child bears is equal to the weight of the child times the speed before the crash. So if your baby for example, weights 20 pounds, and you are driving 40 mph when you crash, your baby will undergo 1600 pounds of force in just a second. That force can kill. Fortunately a properly installed car seat can help reduce the impact your child will experience in a crash.

Tips For Installing Your Car Seat Correctly
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently reported that up to 82 percent of infant car seats are installed wrongly, increasing the risk of severe injury or mortality if an accident occurs. What can you do to lessen the risk your child faces? One thing you can do is consider buying a car seat with a LATCH system. Automobiles made after 2002 feature LATCH systems that help you install a carseat more safely. Many new infant carriers come with LATCH compatible systems. Britax and Graco for example make car seats compatible with this system.

You should also consider having your installation checked out be a certified car seat safety inspector. You can do this at your local fire station. In fact, your better-off just calling. Many have routine car seat installation days where they will inspect and even install your child's car seat free. These technicians have at least 32 hours training in proper car seat installation. That's probably 32 more hours than you'll ever have to figure out how to safely install your baby's car seat.

If you do need to install your seat on your own at least initially, here are some tips for doing it right:

1. First, check to make sure you have the right seat. An infant carrier for example, will only hold a baby up to 1-year old and 20 pounds. If your baby falls outside this range you'll need a different seat.

2. If possible always position your child's carseat in the rear of the car. This is the safest place for your baby. The middle of the backseat in fact is by far the safest place. You should never place your baby's car seat in the front passenger side if there is an air bag there you can't deactivate or uninstall.

3. Be sure before starting you read your car seat manufacturers user guide carefully and completely.

4. Once you install the seat, either using a LATCH system or traditional belt, check to make sure the seat doesn't move more than one inch in any direction.

5. If using a rear facing seat or infant carrier make sure the seat is angled properly to support your babies head.

Because it is so important, its worth saying again. If you have any questions or concerns about installing your child's car seat, have it checked out by a certified technician. This only takes a short amount of time and can save you loads of headaches when trying to install your baby's carseat. When it comes to your child's safety, you deserve the best! Remember that most seats are installed incorrectly the first time. By having someone check it over you can rest assured that your baby is safe while riding in your vehicle.

Ant Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as Baby Carriers, Baby Slings and Baby Car Seats

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Car Seat Safety: Statistics and Law

Driving around with your child, you want to make sure that your car is as safe as can be. Here's how to choose a car seat or booster seat for your child.

Know the Facts

According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, in Canada, collisions are the number one cause of death for children. Having a properly installed car seat can minimize fatalities, and decrease the risk by 75%.

Choose the Right Car Seat

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) surveys all car seats for infants and children. They are rated on a number of categories from clear instructions to ease of use. The good news is, car seat manufacturers are listening to the government's suggestions, and are constantly improving designs. For current information, visit the NHTSA website. You can easily find a car seat that has earned all As in every category. If you work with ebay or froogle at the same time, you can also complete some of your comparison shopping online. If you have seen a car seat that you think you like at the store, check out its safety rating.

Know the Age Groups

The following are just guidelines to get you started. You should always read the instructions on every car seat carefully to find out the height and weight restrictions.

Infants need to be in rear facing car seats. This is until they are roughly 1 year old or 20 lbs.

Toddlers need to be put in forward facing seats with tether straps. Tether straps are very important to safety: if your vehicle doesn't have a tether anchor, contact the dealership to have one installed. This is between roughly 20-40 lbs.

Children who are old enough move out of a car seat still need to use a booster seat. This is until the child is 4'9" tall. This will probably be until the child is about eight years old. Boosterseat.gov is a site that information on when your child can stop using a booster seat.

Airbags

Children should always stay in the back seat away from any airbags. This means that children should always ride in the back seat until they are old enough to use a regular seatbelt. Again, this will probably not be until your child is 8 or 9.

If you buy a used carseat

Make sure that it has not been in an accident. Make sure there is no discoloration or strain marks on the car seat. Check that it has been certified for safety. Don't buy a car seat more than ten years old.

NHTSA has a site, the Office of Defects investigation, that lists all car seats that were recalled from the year 1990 to present. You can check this site for your peace of mind.

Install it properly

You can call your local public health branch to stop by and make sure that your car seat is properly installed. Up to 80% of car seats were not installed correctly (and so would not have the same safety effects that they are designed for) at recent government-held car seat workshops. Find out if there are workshops that you can attend to establish quickly if your child will be safe.

If you are interested in car safety and want to get a new car, or a safer old car, or you just want information on cars in general, visit The Guide to Car Loans [http://www.theguideto-carloans.com/the_truth_about_0_apr_financing].

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