Information on carseats

Here's some information from a friend who is very involved with carseats and the safety of children.
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CAR SEAT INFO - ONE STAGE TO THE NEXT
In the car seat world we always try to let parents know that every change in car seats as a child grows is not a graduation, but a downgrade in protection. It's always safest to keep your child in his current stage as long as possible UNTIL he grows beyond the height or weight limits.

Babies are safest when rear-facing

Turning them forward is a reduction in safety. We recommend keeping babies RF until they reach the limits of the seat - weight: 22lbs for MOST infant seats, and 30, 33, or 35 lbs. for convertible seats or height: top of head is within one inch of the top of the car seat.

Older kids are safest in a harness as long as possible. NOT because the risk of seatbelt failure is high, but because the five point harness spreads the crash forces over the greatest area and because the harness helps keep the child properly positioned and because it helps keep the child tightly coupled to the vehicle.

Forward facing children should remain in their current car seat until they reach the upper weight limit (40 pounds for most, except for Britax and a handful of others http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/Over40.aspx ) OR the child's shoulder are above the top harness slots OR the center of gravity of the child's head is above the top of the car seat.

Big kids are safest in a booster until they are big enough to fit in a seatbelt.There is a five step test to check this. (from http://www.carseat.org)

The 5-Step Test.

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right for the best crash protection. Your child will be more comfortable, too!

Every parent needs to make their choices themselves based on a myriad of factors including their vehicle setup, the maturity of the child, the law, convenience, etc.

Re: Information on carseats

Information on the 5 point Harness

When using a forward facing car seat with a 5-point harness it's important to know the following things:

Check your manual to make sure which harness slots are permitted on your seat, many (but not all) convertible seats (the ones that can be used rear-facing and forward facing) REQUIRE the use of the top slots.

ALWAYS pull the straps snug - snug as a hug - you should not be able to pinch the straps together (vertically, not horizontally). Loose straps could result in your child's ejection from the seat.

ALWAYS use the top tether strap (that's the strap that's attached to the back of seat usually near the head or shoulders) when you can. Using it can reduce the distance that your child's head travels forward in a crash by up to EIGHT INCHES. Most vehicles 1999 and newer CAN BE fitted with tether anchors (NOT lower LATCh anchors) and many car mfg offer that part AND service for free (it's easy to install yourself BTW). If anyone wants more info on this, just PM me. I can look up your car and let you know what you need or where to find the anchor if you already have one. Include your make, model and year.

ALWAYS use the harness slots that are at or above your child's shoulder, never the ones below (unless rear-facing or course).

NEVER use a seat once your child's eyes or ears (center of gravity of the head) are above the top of the car seat.

Re: Information on carseats

Booster seat basics.

Do not use a booster seat for a child who is UNDER the weight limit of the seat. Some are 30 lbs. others are 40.

We usually recommend keeping kids harnessed until they are at least close to 4 years old. It's important for kids to remain properly seated to take advantage of the protection of the seat and seat belt.

NEVER EVER EVER let a child put the shoulder belt behind their back or under their arm. IT WILL INCREASE THE CHILD"S INJURIES. (this applies to grown ups too btw!!!)

NEVER EVER EVER use a booster seat with a lap belt only. It will increase the child's injuries - even more than using no booster seat alone.

Re: Information on carseats

thanks for the information