Car Seat Safety
By:
Alyice Edrich
I ran across a really emotional video this
past month over at YouTube.com regarding the death of a toddler
because his seat belt/car seat failed. Since that time, I’ve sort
of been on a mission to talk about the car seat I recently
purchased for my house.
It all started because my twin nephews were
coming for a month long visit from California and while here, one
of them had a growth spurt which meant a new car seat. Luckily, I
was fortunate enough to get the Radian80 by Sunshine Kids Juvenile
Products.
At first, the Radian80 car seat was going
home with my sister-in-law but the more I thought about the video
I watched, and the more I read about the naivety of others
concerning car seats, the more my sister-in-law and I realized
that keeping the car seat for times when I babysat kids of
relatives and friends was a good idea—that way, I’d be a
responsible sitter.
Gung ho over the Radian80 car seat, I
decided to write a review on it over at our blog (http://thedabblingmum.blogspot.com/2007/06/review-radian-80-car-seat.html).
Several months later, that review is still the most popular post
on my blog.
Suffice to say, the Radian80 car seat
receives a hearty recommendation from me. It grows with your
child, the straps are adjustable, it’s passed crash tests, and it
can even go on an airplane. And my nephew, well let me just say
that once we got him into that car seat he would not go back to
his old car seat. In fact, if we attempted to put him into the old
car seat, he freaked out. After a week of using the Radian80 car
seat, my sister-in-law called home and suggested that her husband
pick up two new car seats before she returned.
Now, I’m making a few posts about the car
seat on various blogs and forums, all the while promoting my
parenting magazine—I know shameless plug! But in an ironic way,
it’s a good thing because it is getting me back in touch with my
audience—parents!
At any rate, if you are serious about
protecting your children while in your car may I make a few
suggestions?
-
Before purchasing a new car seat, find
out if it has been recalled due to safety issues. (And don’t
forget to check to see if your car’s seatbelt may be defected.)
-
When you don’t know which car seat to
pick, visit forums where parents are discussing such issues.
Knowing what other parents think, what experiences they’ve had,
and why they decided the way they did could help you make an
informed decision.
-
Understand how car seats are supposed to
work and be installed. When in doubt, read your instruction
manual, visit sites like Keep Kids Healthy and visit car seat
inspection stations , or visit your local police station—they
often have programs to help make sure your children are properly
restrained.
-
Always make sure the car seat you
purchase fits properly in your vehicle.
-
Always make sure the car seat you
purchase fits the height and weight of your child.
-
When the straps on your child’s car seat
become too snug, or your child has difficulty sitting in his/her
car seat comfortably, don’t wait. Get out there and buy a car
seat that fits your child! Take the Safety Belt Fit test.
-
If the seatbelts in your car are not
working properly, take your car in and have them fixed—they
could truly mean the difference between life and death.
-
Whenever possible place your child’s car
seat in the middle of your back seat—away from either side of
the vehicle.
-
Make sure your child is in the rear
facing position and at a 45 degree recline if he/she is under
one year old. And always place rear facing car seats in the back
seat—away from air bags.
-
Never buy a car seat based solely on
affordability—especially if it’s used.
-
Throw away any car seat that has been in
a motor vehicle accident!
-
Once the car seat is positioned and
belted, wiggle it around to make sure the car seat belt is
holding the car seat in place. In other words, the car seat
isn’t loose.
In the end, your child is only as safe as
the precautions you take.
Article Source:
http://www.articlerich.com
Alyice Edrich is the
editor of The Dabbling Mum®, a free parenting publication, and the
author of several work from home e-books designed to help parents
earn extra cash while spending more time with their children. To
learn more, visit
thedabblingmum.com/ebookstore
