Car seats--Have you checked your car lately?

One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when riding in a vehicle. Each year thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes. Proper use of car seats helps keep children safe. But with so many different car seats on the market, it’s no wonder many parents find this overwhelming. The APP has a great new article about car seats. CLICK HERE for the full story. Here is a few key points:

The type of seat your child needs depends on several things, including your child’s age, size and the type of vehicle you have. Note: The “Types of car seats at a glance” chart is a quick guide on where to start your search. It’s important to continue reading more about the features and how to use your car seat. Additional safety tips are at the end of this article.
To see a list of car seats and safety seat manufacturers, click here.

Types of car seats at a glance

Age Group	Type of Seat	General Guidelines
Infants/toddlers	Rear-facing only seats and rear-facing convertible seats	All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat's manufacturer.
Toddler/preschoolers	Convertible seats and forward-facing seats with harness	Any child 2 years or older who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car seat, should use a Forward-Facing Car Seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed their car seat’s manufacturer. This also applies to any child younger than 2 years who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their seat.
School-aged children	Booster seats	All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car seat should use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
Older children	Seat belts	When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use Lap and Shoulder Seat Belts for optimal protection. All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.

Important reminders

1. Be a good role model. Make sure you always wear your seat belt. This will help your child form a lifelong habit of buckling up.
2. Make sure that everyone who transports your child uses the correct car seat or seat belt on every trip, every time. Being consistent with car safety seat use is good parenting, reduces fussing and complaints, and is safest for your child.
3. Never leave your child alone in or around cars. Any of the following can happen when a child is left alone in or around a vehicle. A child can
• Die of heat stroke because temperatures can reach deadly levels in minutes.
• Be strangled by power windows, retracting seat belts, sunroofs, or accessories.
• Knock the vehicle into gear, setting it in motion.
• Be backed over when the vehicle backs up.
• Become trapped in the trunk of the vehicle.
4. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you do not have the manufacturer’s instructions for your car seat, write or call the company’s customer service department. They will ask you for the model number, name of seat, and date of manufacture. The manufacturer’s address and phone number are on the label on the seat. Also be sure to follow the instructions in your vehicle owner’s manual about using car seats. Some manufacturers’ instructions may be available on their Web sites.

-- Info from AAP and Healthychildren.org Link to the full story above