7 out of 10 Kids Are Not Safe
This guest post is by Barbara Gnos of RepairPal.com
With a new infant in our home, I had to brush up on how to properly install a car seat. In this process, I stumbled upon a data point, terrifying to a mother: 70% of all car seats are not properly installed!
After reading this, I made sure to, extra-carefully, follow the infant manufacturer’s car seat installation guide, exactly as written. Well, guess what despite my best efforts, I installed the car seat incorrectly. I failed the free car seat inspection at our California Highway Patrol (CHP) station. Not only does the CHP recommend that the LATCH system be avoided (testing to date hasn’t met the CHP’s high standards), but the rear mirror accessory I installed (to see the baby while I’m driving) is apparently a safety hazard for the child (physically) and the driver (distraction).
Get Inspected – Its Free
Make sure your infant, child or booster seat, is properly installed by taking a few minutes to stop by a NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) approved safety seat inspection location. There is no cost to this service. At the Seatcheck.org site, you can enter your ZIP to find a location near you:
Know What to Buy
Are you looking to buy a car seat for your infant or child? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a fantastic resource to learn more about the myriad options available and tips for proper installation.
Share Your Family Car Safety Tips With Us
Do you have any additional tips or insight on making your car safe for your family? We would love to hear from you.
This post is so true, the amount of drivers I see with their kids standing or not strapped into car chairs amazes me, do these people really think that their kids wont get hurt if involved in an accident???