CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY FOR GRANDPARENTS
By:
Cathy Droz
December Issue – Grand Magazine
I don’t know about your family, but my son and daughter-in-law give me their SUV to drive when I’m babysitting, and I give them my car. The car seats are already properly installed, so I just place my four and one-year-old grandchildren in the appropriate car seats and off we go.
Now, when the car seats and the grandchildren are both dropped off but the SUV isn’t with them, what do you do? It has been over 20 years since I installed children’s car seats, and I remember with horror having bungee corded all three seats together once I finally secured the clumsy contraptions and the children. The instructions that were provided were grossly inadequate.
Times have changed; manufacturers’ vehicles are all about anchor, tether and LATCH safety. The choices for car seats alone keep Ralph Nader up all night. According to the experts at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the following are basic recommendations for your grandchild’s safety:
• An infant should be in a rear-facing car seat until the baby reaches age one and weighs 20 pounds. Never place a child’s seat in the passenger seat.
• Toddlers need forward-facing car seats until the harnesses no longer fit properly.
• Young children should use booster seats with lap and shoulder safety belts until they are tall enough to use just safety belts.
• Older children should always wear seatbelts.
Using a car seat for your grandchild in not only required by law, it is also crucial in protecting your grandchild in the event of a car accident. Choosing the right car seat and having it installed properly makes all the difference. Check with your local Fire and Police departments to schedule an appointment with a certified car seat technician. Learn car seat safety from a certified professional, not a sales clerk at your local retail store.
Motor Vehicle crashes kill more children ages 14 and under than any other age group, claiming nearly 1,800 lives and more than 274,000 injuries each year. The majority of those crashes occur within 25 miles of their homes, and often Grands are behind the wheel.
Keep our grandchildren safe; they are our most precious cargo.
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