Top 6 car seat safety tips

Car accidents are common and are the leading causes of preventable death for kids between ages 1 and 13. One of the best ways to protect your kids during a car accident is installing and using the car and booster seats correctly. Proper use of car safety seats can help keep the children safe. However, since there are many seats available in the market, getting the right seat can be overwhelming. The type of seat your child needs depends on multiple factors like age of the child, size, and developmental needs. Below are some car seat safety tips you need to follow.

1. Rear-facing until the child outgrows it

Compared to forward-facing, rear-facing is much safer. Rear-facing is also comfortable for the legs as the child can sit frog-legged. Unfortunately, forward-facing has the risk of leg injuries compared to rear-facing. Most convertible seats can carry a weight between 35-50 pounds, accommodating many kids up to 3 years.

2. Buy the right car seat

When buying a car seat, you must remember that your baby should be in the rear-facing car seat for around three years. If your child outgrows the seat, you can buy a front-facing car seat. Keep the seat in the back and ensure that you attach the top tether after tightening and locking the seat belt and the lower anchors. The top tether should be used until the labels on the seat tell you not to. The child restraint and the vehicle’s manuals should match the weight limit for the top. If they allow a higher weight, go ahead and follow the directions.

3. Car seat clothing

A child should travel lightly dressed when in a vehicle. They should be in clothes they would wear when playing indoors in normal weather. You can first warm the car up during cold weather and wrap the child before taking them to a vehicle. Remove the puffy and thick jackets after putting the child in the seat. You can place a warm blanket on the child to warm her up after fitting them safely into the seat. A baby should also be dressed in light clothes and wrapped in a blanket tightly around him after securing and tensioning the harness.

4. Using a booster seat

A child can use a booster seat after they get to four years and weigh 40 pounds. They will be mature enough to sit on a booster comfortably at this age. Also, they will not slouch, lean over, and play with the seat belt. Many kids, therefore, start using a booster seat comfortably at around six years. When dumping your booster seat, you should not do it too soon. A booster seat helps keep the belts properly on the kid’s body, allowing the lap belt to stay in position on your child’s lower hips in a crash. The injuries that result from a child being in an accident while not in a booster seat are life-altering. They suffer lower spinal injuries that result in paralysis. You can only prevent this by putting your child in a booster seat for the longest time possible. As the child hits 10 to 12 years, they can do without the booster.

5. Ensure everyone is buckled up

You want to keep everyone, even adult passengers, safe if an accident occurs. Therefore, everyone in the vehicle should wear a seat belt to be appropriately secured in the event of an accident. Being in the same car with a person who has not buckled up, especially at the back, puts you at a high risk of dying in case of an accident, just like the person who has not buckled. Therefore, ensure all your seat buckles are correctly working so that everyone is buckled when traveling, which will help keep everyone safe.

6. Never text or call while driving

Distracted driving can cause an accident. Keep everyone in the car safe by avoiding texting or calling as you drive. You must make sure that your children and every passenger in the car are safe.

If you want to keep your child safe while traveling, you need to buy a quality car seat that will fit all their needs. Browse for a quality car seat and make a decision today.