Safely Seated

Make sure you keep your kids safe in the car

You hear the stories on newscasts all too often: a child killed in a car accident because he or she either wasn't in a child safety seat, or wasn't protected by one that was improperly installed. There are some simple steps you can take to protect your children while they're traveling with you:

Infant safety seats

All infants should ride in a rear-facing seat until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that even if your baby reaches 20 pounds before his or her first birthday, he or she should remain rear-facing at least until 1 year old. It is best for children to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer.

There are two types of rear-facing seats: infant-only seats and convertible seats. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, and then turned forward-facing once your child is old enough and big enough to do so safely.

Toddler safety seats

Children from 20 to 40 pounds should ride in a front-facing safety seat placed in the back seat of the car. Some points to keep in mind:

  • Car seat harness straps should be snug and the harness clip fastened at the armpit level.
  • Route harness straps through the upper slots or below the shoulder.
  • If using a convertible car seat, adjust the car seat in the upright position.
  • The car seat must be tightly secured to the seatbelt in the vehicle.

Some forward-facing seats can be used with harness straps until the child reaches 40 lbs and used without the harness straps as a booster seat.

Booster seats

Your child should stay in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible before switching to a booster seat. Booster seats, designed for children more than 40 pounds, raise your child so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. This means the lap belt lies low across your child's upper thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your child's chest and shoulder. Correct belt fit helps protect the stomach, spine, and head from injury in a crash.

Both high-back and backless booster seats are available. They do not come with harness straps but are used with the lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way an adult rides. Booster seats should be used until your child can correctly fit in lap and shoulder seat belts. You can tell when your child is ready for a booster seat when one of the following is true:

  • Your child reaches the top weight or height allowed for her seat with a harness. (These limits are listed on the seat and are also included in the instruction booklet)
  • Your child's shoulders are above the harness slots
  • Your child's ears have reached the top of the seat

If your child isn't using a booster and is younger than 8 years old, odds are they would be safer in a booster. Try the simple test below the next time you ride together in the car.

The five-step test

  1. Does your child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
  2. Do your child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
  3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
  4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
  5. Can your child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection.

Seat belts

Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your child correctly, he should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age. Your child is ready to use a lap and shoulder seat belt when the belts fit properly. This means:

  • The shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat.
  • The lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
  • He is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with his legs bent without slouching and can stay in this position comfortably throughout the trip.

Other points to keep in mind when using seat belts:

  • Make sure your child does not tuck the shoulder belt under her arm or behind her back.
  • If there's only a lap belt, make sure it's snug and low on her thighs, not across the stomach. Try to get a lap and shoulder belt installed in your car by a dealer.
  • Never allow anyone to "share" seat belts. All passengers must have their own car safety seats or seat belts.
  • The safest place for all children younger than 13 years to ride is in the back seat.

Newer car owners, use LATCH systems to secure child safety seats

An NHTSA study found that many parents were unaware of the existence or importance of a system of anchors built into newer vehicles specifically designed to hold and anchor child safety seats. The Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) systems became standard in many vehicles manufactured after Sept. 1, 2002.

The LATCH system is designed to fit together like a key in a lock. It eliminates the need to use a seat belt to secure a safety seat, prevents a loose fit around the child seated in a child safety seat, and allows the upper tethers to reduce the tilting or rotation of the seat during a head-on collision.

Nevertheless, the NHTSA study found 40 percent of parents continued to inappropriately use seat belts when installing the car seat instead of the LATCH system. Check your vehicle's owners manual to see if it is LATCH-equipped.

Choosing the right safety seat for your child

No one seat is the "best" or "safest." The best seat is the one that fits your child's size, is correctly installed, and is used properly every time you drive. When shopping for a car safety seat, keep the following in mind:

  • Don't decide by price alone. A higher price does not mean the seat is safer or easier to use. All car safety seats available for sale in the United States must meet government safety standards.
  • When you find a seat you like, try it out in your car, as some seats may not fit properly in rear seats that have deep contours, humps, or certain types of safety belts. Put your child in it and adjust the harnesses and buckles. Make sure it fits properly and securely in your car.
  • Keep in mind that pictures or displays of car safety seats may not show them being used the right way.

The golden rules of car seat safety

  • Always use a car safety seat. Start with your baby's first ride home from the hospital.
  • Never place a child in a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has a passenger air bag.
  • All children younger than 13 years are safest in the back seat.
  • Be a good role model—always wear your seat belt. This will help your child form a lifelong habit of buckling up.
  • Remember that each car safety seat is different. Read and keep the instructions that came with your seat handy, and follow them at all times.
  • Take your kids and their car seats with you to the dealership when you're auditioning new family cars. Is there enough clearance for rearfacing seats in the backseat? Is there enough leg room for older kids in front-facing seats? Does each safety seat fit securely on the seat bottom cushion or is it likely to wiggle around?
  • Read your car owner's manual for information about installing your car safety seat.

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Arizona Auto Insurance - additional measures to stay safe on the road