Using a car seat is the best way to protect children when traveling by car. Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71%! The best car seat is not always the most expensive one either – it’s the one that best fits a child’s weight, size, and age, as well as your vehicle. Here are some car seat safety tips to keep your most precious cargo safe and secure.
Buy the right car seat – your baby needs to ride in a rear-facing car seat until at least age 2.
Choose a seat with a label that states it meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
Proceed with caution when using a used seat. Never use a car seat that is more than 6 years old or one that was in a crash, even if it looks okay.
Avoid seats with missing parts or are not labeled with the manufacture date and model number.
Look at the car seat label to make sure your child is still within weight, height, and age limits for your seat.
Harness straps should fit snugly against your child’s body. Check the instructions that came with your car seat to learn how to adjust the straps properly.
Place the chest clip at armpit level to keep the harness straps secure on the shoulders.
Not all car seats fit properly in all vehicles, read the section on car seats in your car’s owner manuals to double check before purchasing a car safety seat.
If you have questions, or need help installing your car seat, find a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) listed on this website – National Child Passenger Safety Certified Technicians
Using a car seat correctly makes a big difference and can greatly reduce the risk of potentially fatal injuries to babies, toddlers, and young children. Choose a car seat carefully, read all instructions and ask the experts to keep everyone safe, happy, and healthy while traveling by car.
Mesa Pediatric Urgent Care and Gilbert Pediatric Urgent Care
It can be scary any time your child is sick, but rest assured that AllKids Urgent Care is here to help guide you every step of the way with a caring and knowledgeable pediatric staff. Both our Gilbert Pediatric Urgent Care and our Mesa Pediatric Urgent Care are open every day, from noon to 10 PM no appointment is necessary, just stop in and start your child on the road back to health.