Health & Safety for Families

Road injuries are the leading cause of preventable deaths and injuries to children in the United States. According to SafeKids.org, correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71%.

The type of seat your child needs depends on several things, including your child’s age, size, and developmental needs. Here is more information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) about choosing the most appropriate car safety seat for your child.

Infants and toddlers

All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. Most convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear facing for 2 years or more.​

Toddlers and preschooler

Children who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their convertible seat should use a forward-facing seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds or more.

School-aged children

All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are eight to 12 years of age. All children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat.

When shopping for a car seat, keep the following tips in mind:

• No one seat is the “best” or “safest.” The best seat is the one that fits your child’s size, is correctly installed, fits well in your vehicle, and is used properly every time you drive.
• Don’t decide by price alone. A higher price does not mean the seat is safer or easier to use.
• Avoid used seats if you don’t know the seat’s history.​
• Watch the Video: What to Look For When Purchasing a Car Seat

Never use a car seat that:

• Is too old or does not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number. Look on the label for the date the seat was made. Check with the manufacturer to find out how long it recommends using the seat. Most seats are only good for 7-10 years from the manufacture date.
• Is cracked or missing parts. Used car safety seats often come without important parts. Check with the manufacturer to make sure you can get the right parts.
• Was recalled. You can find out by calling the manufacturer or contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888/327-4236. You can also visit the NHTSA Website.
• Do not use seats that have been in a moderate or severe crash. Seats that were in a minor crash may still be safe to use, but some car safety seat manufacturers recommend replacing the seat after any crash, even a minor one. The NHTSA considers a crash minor if all the following situations are true:
  • The vehicle could be driven away from the crash.
  • The vehicle door closest to the car safety seat was not damaged.
  • No one in the vehicle was injured.
  • The airbags did not go off.
  • You can’t see any damage to the car safety seat.

Car safety seats may be installed with either the vehicle’s seat belt OR its LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) system. LATCH is an attachment system for car safety seats. Lower anchors can be used instead of the seat belt to install the seat, and many parents find them easier to use in some cars.

The top tether should always be used with a forward-facing seat, whether you use the seat belt or lower anchors to secure it. The seat belt and LATCH systems are equally safe, so caregivers should use one or the other, whichever works best for them, their seat, and their vehicle.

Note-All lower anchors are rated for a maximum weight of 65 pounds (total weight includes car safety seat and child). Parents should check the car safety seat manufacturer’s recommendations for maximum weight a child can be to use lower anchors. New car safety seats have the maximum weight printed on their label.

Install Tips:

• Experts can help you install your car seat. Take time to read the owner manuals for both your vehicle and your car seat. Each type of car seat is different.
• Not all cars or SUVs allow for a car seat in every place that has a seat belt. Check your car owner manual to see where you can safely put a car seat. Typically the safest place for a car seat is in the middle, back seat.
• Do the Inch Test. A properly-installed car seat shouldn’t move more than one inch front to back or side to side when pulled at the seat belt path.