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Sitting For Safety Children are precious and vulnerable. Parents and caregivers go to great lengths to keep children from harm and when it comes to safety in a vehicle there are heaps of products and information to wade through. While every child seat and booster seat will be different, here are a few simple rules for safety. Buy an approved seat that is appropriate for the child and the vehicle. Beware of second-hand seats and hand-me-downs. Recalls are not uncommon and the crash history of a used seat may not be known. Follow the directions in your vehicle manual and the seat instructions carefully then have the installed seat inspected by a trained technician. You can phone the toll-free Child Seat Information Line (1-877-247-5551) to find out about the next car seat clinic in your area. Once you know you have the right seat and it is installed correctly, always make sure you do up the straps so they are snug and no more than one finger width can fit between the harness and your child’s collar bone. Regular seatbelts are designed to keep full-grown adults safe in the event of a crash. If your child can not sit with his back against the back of the seat and feet flat on the car floor, the seatbelt is not safe. For a good fit, the shoulder belt should come across the chest and sit well below the face. Children need to be in a booster seat until they are 8 years old or at least 80 lbs. It’s called the “8 or 80” rule and although it is not yet the law, it is recommended to keep children safe. All children should be seated in the back seat until they are least 12 years old. |
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