Is your child’s car seat safe? Considering the history of the car seat, the make and model, expiration date and the size of the child sitting in it, there are many factors to review in order to confidently answer the question of safety.
While engineers and car seat manufacturers are taking every possible measure to ensure that both cars and car seats children sit in are designed to keep your most precious cargo as safe as possible. Still, every parent holds an inherent responsibility to make sure car seats, booster seats and safety restraints are installed and utilized correctly.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares tips on how you can find the right car seat for your child, be it an infant, convertible or booster seat:
Step 1: Educate Yourself About Car Seat Types
According to SafeCar.gov, a grassroots effort by NHTSA, as children grow, how they sit in your car will change over time, not all car seats fit in all vehicles, and car seats should be installed and used correctly every single time. Read more here about the four different types of car seats.
Step 2: Install Your Car Seat Correctly
Your child’s safety could be in jeopardy if their car seat is not installed correctly. Watch this Safecar.gov video about how to choose the right seat and make sure it’s installed safely:
Step 3: Register Your Car Seat
NHTSA works diligently to ensure all cars and car seats meet Federal Safety Standards. Sometimes a car seat model doesn’t comply with these required safety standards, but by registering your car seat, you can be notified if a safety-related defect is ever found, or a recall happens. You can even set up automated email alerts to notify you if a recall on your car seat model ever occurs.
Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent, according to SafeKids.org. You can also check out their Ultimate Car Seat Guide for practical tips to keep your kids safe in cars.
