Is the buckle too tight? Is it tight enough? My husband and I were suddenly aware of how little we knew as we packed our daughter into her car seat for the very first time. According to the CDC, an estimated 46 percent of car seats and booster seats are misused.
As a first-time parent, I can attest to how complicated it can be selecting a car seat, installing the base, and then buckling your baby into the car seat. To highlight Child Passenger Safety Week, I wanted to share a few things that I have learned this year about car seats:
- Always read the manual.
Every car seat is different with unique safety requirements. I won’t know the right way until I check the manual for my specific car seat.
- Adjust the car seat constantly.
My daughter has almost doubled her birth weight in just six months, and she has grown over five inches. So far, I’ve had to remove the infant insert, adjust the shoulder straps, and retighten the base several times. I’m sure I will keep needing to adjust as she continues to grow. I even have the next car seat ready to go when she is too tall or too heavy for her current one.
- The car seat is my child’s PPE, so I should treat it like that.
In CE&I and Survey, our crews have PPE (personal protective equipment) that is worn daily and checked routinely for wear and tear. Well, this car seat is my child’s PPE—she won’t be taking a car ride without it! Like other PPE, car seats have expiration dates; they aren’t effective if there is damage; and, car seats involved in a moderate or severe accident should be replaced, according to NHTSA.
- The best practices aren’t always intuitive.
Most people know that the chest strap should be at armpit level—there are widely known rules like this one, but then there are things that I’ve seen others do a million times that I didn’t realize were unsafe. For instance, babies should not have bibs, coats, or other bulky items between them and their buckles because those items can reduce the car seat’s effectiveness.
- The only constant is change, especially when it comes to baby gear.
As my sister and I sorted through the hand-me-down baby toys and gear, we realized how many items had been recalled in the few years between her kids and mine. What was safe years ago may have changed. To stay up to date with the latest recommendations, I registered my car seat with the manufacturer, and now I will receive notification if there is a recall.
- Keep it simple.
Car seats and booster seats reduce the risk of injury in crashes by approximately 80 percent, when compared to using a seat belt alone. For me, the choice is simple—use a car seat! This tool from the NHTSA makes it even easier for me to decide which car seat is right for my daughter.