in 2015 I challenge all of my friends to make at least ONE change in the way they see car seat safety; if youre not already keeping your passengers as safe as possible, then way to go! Keep it up and challenge your friends to make a change! A friend of mine linked the article about the mom who so tragically lost her life due to an oversight on her part with her firearm, she made a really great comparison about how so many people are rushing to push their agenda on gun laws, when MORE people are killed in car crashes every year, yet so many people are so LAX with their seat belt rules in their car. And it sparked this idea for me to challenge you to do better, theres almost always room for improvement. Here are some ways you can keep everyone as safe as possible in your car: FIRST: Wear your own seat belt! Not only will this keep you safe, but it will keep the other people in the car safe as well. Your body flying around in the vehicle in a car crash can cause serious injuries to your passengers. SECOND: Dont even put the vehicle in drive until everyone else in the car has their seatbelt properly buckled. Again, this wont only keep them safe, but will help prevent injuries to yourself as the driver, and the other passengers in the vehicle as well. THIRD: Make sure youre using the right child safety seat for your childs AGE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT, AND MATURITY. Here are the guidelines to follow: (side note, I understand there are times when a child doesnt fit into the category they belong in due to circumstance beyond our control, like weight or other medical conditions, and Im not here to argue about that) SEAT BELT ONLY: This is for passengers who are around 12 years old, or older and are over 49 tall. A great way to tell if your child is ready to move out of their booster seat is if they can pass the 5 Step Test. BELT POSITIONING BOOSTER: These are for kids who have outgrown their 5-point harness, generally not for kids under the age of 6, as they arent ready to be in a booster seat yet. And are meant to be used until the child is seat belt ready - when they are at least 49, usually around age 12, and can pass that 5 Step Test. FORWARD FACING 5-POINT HARNESS: A child is ready to forward face when they have outgrown the height and/or weight limits of their rear facing car seat. NEVER, EVER, EVER before the age of TWO years old. And is meant to be used until the child either outgrows the weight/height limits of the seat, OR they are at least 6 years old and ready to transition to a booster seat. REAR FACING 5-POINT HARNESS: Rear facing is by far the SAFEST way for any passenger to ride, and there really isnt any reason to forward face a child BEFORE they outgrow the height/weight limits of their seat. From birth on up, so long as they fit in the seat for the rear facing limits, they should remain in the seat in a rear facing position. Ideally, up to age 4 if the seating limits allow. (My son was rear facing until he was 4 1/2 years old) Ill post some links in the comments where you can read more about car seat safety and where you can read about some of the recommended seats that are on the market. I really dont want to argue with anyone who wants to comment anything seriously stupid. If youre genuinely curious, Im more than HAPPY to help you learn, but if youre just going to be an ass, then just keep it to yourself. Im here to educate and help parents who want the maximum safety for their kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, or anyone else they transport in their vehicle. I made plenty of mistakes as a mother with my first born, and Ive since corrected them and learned from them. Thats the best anyone can do, learn from their mistakes. If youve read through this and found that your child isnt in the right seat for their age/weight/height, then by all means, ask for help!! There is no shame in wanting to keep your child as safe as possible in a car accident!!
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 18:03:37 +0000