Each year, the fourth Saturday in September is US National Seat Check Saturday. This is a day where caretakers of children are encouraged to review child safety restraint standards to ensure that child passengers are in the right seat for their age and size. In 2020, around 42% of children killed in traffic collisions were not properly restrained. This is based on known restraint use; the number could be higher. In fatal collisions where the driver was unrestrained, 65% of child passengers were also unrestrained.
Children need to be in the correct seat and seating position based on their size and age. Even though laws will vary slightly from state to state, there are national safety standards you can follow. Here’s what you need to know about child safety seats.
Types of Car Seats
There are four types of car seats available for children. The perfect seat for your child passenger will depend on their size and age.
- Rear-facing seats: This seat is designed for children from birth to about three years of age. Children should be kept in rear-facing seats as long as possible. Check the height and weight limit for your car seat to determine if it’s safe for the child to stay rear-facing. Even if the child’s legs begin to touch the seat while they’re rear-facing, it’s best to keep them in that position until they reach the height or weight limit for the seat.
- Forward-facing seats: Once a child has outgrown their rear-facing seat, the next step is a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether. The child should be kept in this seat until they reach the height or weight limit for the seat. Smaller children may need a forward-facing seat until around seven years of age.
- Booster seats: When the child reaches the height or weight limit for their forward-facing seat, they need to use a booster seat. Booster seats are needed until the child is big enough for a seat belt.
- Seat belt: The final stage is the seat belt. Children are ready for seat belts when the lap belt fits snugly across their upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits snugly across the chest without crossing their neck or face.
Children should ride in the backseat of the vehicle, even once they’re big enough for a seat belt. The impact from an air bag deploying could seriously injure a child. In general, children under age 13 should stay in the backseat, though smaller children should stay in the backseat until it’s safe, even after age 13.
How to Choose a Child Seat
Now that you know the types of child safety seats out there, it’s time to pick the appropriate one for your child passenger! Keep in mind that unlike many things, car seats might not be suitable as hand-me-downs from older siblings or other children.
Car seats come with an expiration date, which is typically about six years after it was manufactured. Even if it hasn’t reached the expiration date yet, the car seat may not be safe for reuse. If the car seat was in a vehicle that was involved in a collision, you shouldn’t reuse it. If it is damaged in any way (including wear and tear on the straps), it can’t be reused.
You don’t need to invest in the priciest car seat on the market in order to keep your child passenger safe. All car seats on the market must meet the same safety standards. That being said, there are other factors that affect car seat safety.
Car seats need to be installed correctly in order to be effective. Some car seats are more difficult to fit into specific types of vehicles than other car seats. NHTSA provides a free online tool to help you find a car seat based on how easy it is to use.
How to Know If Your Car Seat is Installed Correctly
Even the perfect seat can fail if it’s not installed correctly. Make sure you read the instructions that come with your car seat before you attempt to install it. For visual learners, do a quick YouTube search for tutorials on how to install the exact car seat you’ve purchased.
In order to be 100% sure you’ve installed your car seat correctly, you can visit a car seat inspection station. There are many options to choose from, and most of the time the service is free. Certified technicians can help you inspect the car seat and make sure you’re using it correctly. You can search for a car seat inspection station near you using NHTSA’s Car Seat Inspection Database.
If you’re using the same car seat in multiple vehicles, be sure you’re installing it correctly each time. You’ll likely need to make a few adjustments as you move the seat between vehicles.
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