Car Seat Safety

I'll be the first to admit it, I'm a car seat nut.  I am.  I am.  Confirmed.  But how can you hear about a child dying in a crash or watch youtube crash simulations and not want the best/safest option for your child?  How do you not instinctually want to save him from that?  Hm? Hm?  That's where my nut-ness comes from.  Car accidents are the LEADING killer of kids.  KIDS DIE IN CARS.   Although, I know it will never happen to you.  It could.

A good friend of mine just lost her 3 year old family member in a car crash a few weeks ago.  The same age as Josh.  HE even looked like Josh.  IT HAPPENS.  From a distance I watched their family grieve.  Nobody should have to go through that.  Nobody.  If I can stop one person from putting their kid in the wrong seat or help them properly buckle their child, then I've done my job.

So.  This could get long so I'm going to try to break it down as easily as I can:

1.  Car Seat Types: What car seat to put your kid in and when.
2.  Car Seat Safety: Rear facing versus forward facing.  5pt versus seat belt.
3.  Car Seat Buckling: How to put your kid safely in their seat (This one is HUGE).  
4.  Tethering:  How to get your seat safety installed in the car.


1.  Car Seat Types



A.  Baby Seat... your child should be in their baby car seat until they hit the height and weight limits for their seat.  June hit his weight limit when he was 7 months old.  Eliz hit her length limit at 9 months.  Watch their stats and the height/weights that are allowed by your seat.  Also, your seat will expire.   They all do after about 7 years.  TOSS it and get a new one.  Ours recently got pitched bc it expires in 12/12.  Baby 4 will get a new seat.  There is a date at the bottom of your seat... google "expiration date" and your car seat if you can't find it.

I recommend the Chicco Key Fit 30.  It's currently the top seat on the market and I've heard awesome things about it from friends and family (it'll be the seat we buy for the baby in December).
http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/car-seats/keyfit-30-extreme.aspx




B.  Convertible Car Seat... This is the segue between baby seat and booster.  The convertibles these days can fit your child until they are about the age of 12... some quite literally.  June's Sunshine Radian (above) can go until he's 80lbs and he still has about 6 inches of spine growth before he's out of that seat.  It's somewhat laughable, but it leaves me feeling reassured.  Anyway, this is the seat you get and REAR FACE after you move your baby from the baby seat.  We'll get to RFing later.  Once your child hits the RF weight limit, you can forward face this seat.  June will be in his for YEARS yet.  Safe, secure, 5pt harnessed.

All 3 of mine ride in this exact seat: The Sunshine (now Diono) Radian.  It's my top recommendation, hands down.  http://www.dionocarseats.com/s-192-radian-r120.aspx





C. High Back Booster... Ok I'll be honest, this one baffles me.  I think the thought recently has been that when your preschooler outgrows their convertible car seat, they switch to a high back booster.  Well... most convertibles last forever weight wise, that a high back isn't needed, BUT if you are in the position where your kid is outgrowing their convertible seat, get a high back booster with a 5pt harness like pictured above: the Graco Nautilus.  It has the 5pt harness and can switch to just using the car's standard seat belt when your child is OLDER.   It finally converts to a lap booster as well for right before your child needs no car seat at all.
http://www.target.com/p/Graco-Nautilus-3-in-1-Car-Seat-Beckett/-/A-13478071





D. High Back Booster... Thus one you should hold off on tunilt your child is AT LEAST 40 lbs and 4 years old.  I'd recommend waiting so much longer.  This seat uses your car's seat belt, so if you have an older kid (I'd say 6 plus) this is a decent option.  This particular seat does very well at keeping the seat belt exactly where it should be. (A fellow car seat nut friend has her child in it... very nice seat).  Similar to the high back booster, if you have a good convertible, this seat really isn't needed but if you are following the progression of seats, this is a good option to get.
Harmony Dreamtime Delux: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Harmony-Dreamtime-Deluxe-Comfort-Booster-Car-Seat-Silver/16439808


E.  Lap Booster... when you have an older older older kid, this gets them from just-too-tiny child to the  able-to-sit-unassisted in a car child.  The law is currently that a child should be 4 foot 9 inches and 80-100 lbs before sitting in a seat alone.  This seat helps you reach those numbers.
Diono Santa Fe: http://www.dionocarseats.com/p-145774-diono-santa-fe-booster-car-seat-formerly-sunshine-kids.aspx#!vID168201

And remember each time you "graduate" your child from a seat... you are actually lowering their safety in a car.  True story.  The is why going from a infant seat to a long lasting convertible is such a good bet.

Here is a good link about if your child is ready for a booster and booster safety: http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/car-seats-boosters-seat-belts-/booster-seats-and-seat-belt-safety-tips.html

And here is a good overall guide as to WHEN to move your child to various seats: http://www.car-safety.org/basics.html



2. Car Seat Safety





A.  Rear Facing (RF) Versus Forward Facing (FF)


::deep breath... here we go::
Your child should be rear facing until at least the age of 2 (recommend by the AAP).  Further, you should keep your child rear facing as LONG as your seat will allow.  Seriously people, this is a hot button issue for me.  It's so completely safer for a child to be rear facing.  75% safer.  If in a crash, their head and neck are cradled into the seat and they get minimal impact from the crash.  No their legs will not break.  There is no documented cases of a child's leg breaking during an accident while rear facing.  AND, they are NOT uncomfortable.  Josh is RFing at 3.5 years and hasn't complained ONCE.  As for whether they are safer if in a rear ended accident: http://myangelsaliandpeanut.tripod.com/id5.html Still safer.

In a crash, your child could very easily be internally decapitated.   Their spine will stretch and could well, rip. Their neck is not strong enough to withstand the force that they will be pulled in if in a forward or side impact crash...

Onto the video, OH the video.  ::sigh::  I saw this video years ago and it's the #1 thing that has spurred on my fire for rear facing.  I can't see how you watch a video like that (and please watch it, it's worth it) and still decide that you child is "ok" FF.  The crash test is at 1:30.  It alone speaks volumes.

Questions?  This should cover them if the video did not.  Did you watch it?! Didja? Didja?: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx


B.  5pt Harness Versus Seat Belt
A 5pt harness buckles at your child's chest and at their groin.  There are 5 pts where the belt is linked to your seat: shoulder, shoulder, hip, hip, crotch.  It's always in the locked position.  Your kid is staying safely in the seat.

A regular seat belt is not always in the locked position (usually it's not, think about how we buckle) and has "give" when in an accident before it locks.  So that "give" gives your child a few extra inches before catching them... the video will explain the difference there.  It's also only has 3pts: shoulder, hip, hip.

Another video or 2 (get the tissues for the 2nd):

3.  Car Seat Buckling

A. Strap Height

If your child is RF, their shoulder straps should inserted through the seat at or BELOW the top of their shoulder.

http://www.orbitbaby.com/en/articles/harness-safety/

If your child is FF, the strap should be at least an inch ABOVE the top of their shoulder.

B. Chest Clip

While you have the photo ^above^ readily available.  LOOK at it.  A chest clip goes on your child's CHEST.  It should be arm pit LEVEL.  This isn't rocket science, but you have no idea how many children I see with chest clips at their bellies.  CHEST LEVEL.  PLEASE.  

::composes self:: 

C.  Strap Tightness

This is another one that fires me up.  How is a car seat supposed to work if your child can wriggle around inside the straps?  How is it supposed to hold your child in the seat if they can MOVE easily.  You don't to see the impacts of a crash on loose seat belts.  If I can visually see that a strap is loose, it's WAY too loose.

The rule of thumb for this one is that you should not be able to pinch the child's strap with your fingers.  This is a just-right strap: 

Not enough to pinch but not overly tight either. 

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=49030  

4. Tethering


All I really want to say about this is a few things.  1. Read the instructions when installing your car seat... when it is properly installed it should not moved more than 1 inch at the belt path.  If it moves more than 1 inch, manhandle that sucker and get it tighter.  2.  If you are installing with a seat belt, make sure you put it in the  locked position.  Thread the seat belt through your belt path, then click it in the clicker (like that?).  After that pull the seat belt ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the way out at the shoulder-holder.  As far as it will go.  When you get to the end of the belt, it will be in the lock position.  Then slowly feed the belt back into the shoulder-holder.  Again make sure that the seat only moves an inch or less once you have the belt fully tightened.


And look, I know that everyone is doing the absolute best for and with their children.   I get it.  I do.  I know.  You would never hurt your child, but accidents are usually not caused by you.  They are typically by someone else's negligence.  Distraction, misjudgment, impaired driving, you name it.  Look over what I've written and ask me any questions (and feel free to correct me if I gave misinformation) and feel free to pass this on.  I just want the information out there because it's too precious not to be thrown to the general public.  Drive safely, but let your kids ride safely too.

Susie's hot button issue, over and out! ;)