Child Passenger Safety Week: Give-Away and Safety Tips!

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children age 1 through 12 years old.  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the goal of Child Passenger Safety Week (September 15th-21st) is to make sure all parents and caregivers are properly securing their children (ages 0-12) in the best car restraint (rear-facing, forward-facing, booster, seat belt) for their age and size.  This week, we at Travel-Tot, are thrilled to team up with the experts at Safety 1st to help promote Child Passenger Safety Week with a car seat give-away (see details at the bottom of this article!) and life-saving car seat safety tips (see below)! 

Car Seat Safety Tips From Julie Vallese, Safety 1^st Consumer Safety Expert:

Importance of Rear Facing

In March of 2011 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their car seat recommendations advising that children should remain rear facing until the age of two, or until they reach the maximum height and weight requirements allowed by their car seat. According to a study in the Journal of Injury Prevention children under the age of two are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in the event of a car crash if they are rear facing. When a child is rear facing their head, neck and spine are better supported and in the event of an accident, crash forces are distributed over the child’s entire body.

Installation

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 75% of car seats are installed incorrectly.  Every car and car seat has different requirements for the safest installation so before you get started it is important to read both the car seat and car manual. 

Typically the center rear seat is the safest place for a car seat, and never install a car seat in the front seat.  If your car does not have a latch connector for the middle seat, you can use the middle seat belt to properly secure the base.  When installing, make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side. An easy way to test this is to hold at the belt path.

New parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend a car seat check before the baby is born.  However, don’t just rely on the experts. You’re likely going to be taking the car seat out and installing it somewhere else at some point, so make sure you’re comfortable with the process too.  

Car Seat Expiration

Never use used or old car seats.  Car seats do have an expiration date and it is to understand the risks associated with using an expired or old car seat.  The reason for an expiration date is because plastic can warp and materials can fray, which can make car seats less safe to use.  Car seat technology and state and federal car seat regulations change.  A car seat deemed safe more than six years ago may no longer meet federal testing regulations.  Important warning labels may wear out and instruction books may get lost, which can lead to improper use of the car seat.

 

Car Seat Give-Away



image courtesy of Safety 1st

To help promote Child Passenger Safety Week, Travel-Tot, LLC, in conjunction with Safety 1^st, is offering a car seat give-away; follow the instructions below to enter to win a free, life-saving  Safety 1^st Elite 80 3-in-1 car seat!  The Elite 80 works in rear-facing mode for babies up to 40 pounds, then converts to forward-facing with harness, but features an extended weight range to keep children safely in harness all the way to 80 pounds.  In its 3rd mode, the Elite 80 goes beyond the traditional convertible seat to convert into a belt-positioning booster car seat for children up to 100 pounds.  Additionally Air Protect + combines the advanced protection of our Air Protect® cushion system with patented GCell HX™ foam designed with hexagonal shapes for 100% full body production. For more details and specifications, click here.

To enter to win a free Safety 1^st Elite 80 3-in-1 car seat, simply "like" Travel-Tot's Facebook Page and "like" and leave a comment below the mention of this blog post on Travel-Tot's Facebook feed (note: commenting on this article below will NOT enter you to win a free car seat).  Entries must be received by Saturday, September 21st, Midnight Pacific Standard Time (PST) to be eligible for drawing.  Eligible for US residents only. 

image courtesy of the Child Passenger Safety Week Campaign (property of TSM and NHTSA)