Making Sure Your Child’s Car Seat is Safe: Parenting Win
You know I deal with parents of newborns all the time for the Atlanta Baby and Child Expo, and connecting them with the right car seat is one of the most important parts of the event to me (shout out to Britax here—they go above and beyond when it comes to safety standards). Why does it really matter? Well, keep reading.
Every 33 seconds, a child under 13 is involved in a car crash in the United States. Car seats, if used correctly, can dramatically reduce the risk of death or injury. But over half of car seats are either installed or used incorrectly, and 1 in 3 children killed in car crashes are completely unrestrained at the time of the crash.
As parents, we all want to do the right thing to keep our children safe and sound. That’s why it’s helpful to stay up to date with car seat safety information, like the tips found in the fun new video series “The Wide World of Car Seats,” from the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Being a parent is tough stuff. It’s not like the baby is praising you every step of the way. But don’t you wish you could get some acknowledgement for your parenting wins with your kiddo, like the stars on the playing field get to hear each game?
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The right car seat can make all the difference in a motor vehicle crash. And car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old. But despite their best intentions, many parents may not realize their child isn’t in the right seat. For example, many parents move their children to the next restraint type (car seat, booster seat, seat belt) too soon.
When I had my first kiddo, I was totally lost when it came to installing the infant seat correctly. I’m grateful for resources like SaferCar.gov/TheRightSeat with videos about how to install car seats correctly and how to make sure we have the right seat for size of each of our children.
To make sure you have the right seat for your child, visit SaferCar.gov/TheRightSeat.
*According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).