Hi everyone!
I recently attended a Child Passenger Safety Technician course all about car seats and installation. This means I have a certification from Safekids Worldwide and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help caregivers install car and booster seats.
This is super important because car accidents remain a leading cause of death in children under 12-years-old. Properly restraining children in their safety seats is the best way to prevent serious injuries in the event of a car accident, and unfortunately, Florida was at a 93% misuse rate in 2014. This means that 93% of car seats inspected were installed incorrectly.
In this blog, I wanted to share some of the things I learn:
· Rear-facing is encouraged as long as possible, and AT LEAST until 2-years of age as rear-facing children at five times safer than forward-facing children.
· Car seats do expire.
· Chest clips should always be at the chest – this is important because a chest clip that is too high can interfere with the child’s airway, but a chest clip too low could cause internal injuries in an accident.
· Most cars do not have lower anchors in the middle passenger seat and are installed using the LATCH system anyway. It is one of the most common installation errors.
· Another common installation error is using both lower anchors and a seatbelt.​
· The most important thing to know is that the right car seat is one that fits in your car, fits the child, and you can install correctly every time. Cost does not matter. All car seats are supposed to meet the same safety standards, but have different sizes and features.
I also wanted to share this helpful link for anyone who might have questions about what car seat is best for their child. The Child Safety Ease of Use Ratings are very helpful in selecting a car seat.
Above all, I wanted to share that on November 17th we are hosting a Car Seat Inspection Event and really encourage anyone who has passenger questions to make an appointment! Please call us at (727) 375-5437 to schedule your inspection.
Look forward to helping with you car seat needs,
Kasondra, CPST
ID: T724741