CHILD PASSENGER
SAFETY TECHNICIAN
4 out of 5 car seats are installed or used incorrectly.
Is yours one of them?
Vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death in children under age 13.
Proper use and installation reduces the chance of death or injury by as much as 71 percent.
Several factors go into car seat safety. We first decide which car seat is best for your child's needs and your family's lifestyle. With four different types of car seats and plenty of different car seat manufacturers and their restraints, we have a large supply of options to keep your little one safe and within your budget. All car seats on the shelf go through strict federal testing and regulations and are equally safe whether $40 or $400. Next, we make sure you know how to properly install and secure the car seat in a vehicle. Then we check to ensure your growing child always has the right fit. Lastly, we look over what the next step would be when it is time to change the car seat. There is a lot to know about car seat safety and it is crucial to learn how to keep them safe on the road as well as recognizing myths about car seat safety.
Contact me to schedule free professional installation or car seat check-up, or to simply ask for car seat advice or recommendations, and let's make sure your little one is riding safely by emailing me at taylorpaigephotos@gmail.com or call/text my business contact at
(909)372-0414
stages of car seats
Be sure to fill out the car seat registration that comes with your car seat and mail it out immediately so the manufacturer can contact you should the car seat or a part of it be recalled. Also read your manual entirely before using and installing. You want to ensure you are not missing something crucial.
Your child should be in a rear-facing car seat from birth until 2 years old minimum (California law: ). Forward-facing a child before the age of 2 puts them at significant risk for paralysis or death as their vertebrae is not ossified leaving their spinal column highly vulnerable to rupture causing internal decapitation in the event of a crash. They can either be restrained in a rear-facing only carrier, convertible car seat, or all-in-one car seat. As advocates for best practice, we encourage parents to keep their child rear-facing as long as possible or until they max out their rear-facing limits. Most convertible and all-in-one car seats on the market accommodate the average 3-4 year old rear-facing.
When your child grows into the next stage, they would be restrained in a forward-facing 5-point harness convertible, combination, or all-in-one car seat. Turning the car seat's direction to forward-facing removes the cradling mechanism of rear-facing. To ensure your child remains retained, the harness consists of 5-points of contact to spread out the force of a crash to the strongest points of the body: one at each shoulder, one at each hip, and one between the thighs. Most forward-facing 5-point harnesses accommodate the average 6-7 year old.
Once they're ready for the next stage, they would use a high-back belt positioning booster car seat. The minimum age recommended is age 5 because no child under 5 is mature enough to sit properly without a harness, leaving them vulnerable in a crash without proper seating and belt fit. Even at age 5, they still may require what is called "booster training". The high-back booster seat usually has a belt guide to ensure a proper belt fit and sit the shoulder belt across their shoulder and not touching the neck as well as positioning the lap portion of the seat belt across the top of their thighs and not on the stomach. This is important in making sure the child is properly secured in a crash, spreading out the force along the body.
The last car seat your child would sit in is a backless booster. Children need a booster until they are 4'9" and can pass the Five Step Test, which usually doesn't happen until they are 10-12 years old. A proper belt fit is when the belt is on the shoulder and and low on the hips, not with the belt touching their neck and abdomen.
Common Myths
"My parent's didn't even use car seats back in the day and they're alive so they're not that big of a deal." But, unfortunately, that was not the case for many other children. Since 1975, car seat deaths have decreased 58% according to 2015 data by the IIHS and still remain a leading killer of children.
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"Using the LATCH is safer than using the seatbelt."
The safe option is the one you can install correctly. When used properly, they are equally as safe.
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"I use both the LATCH and seatbelt to install so it's twice as protected."
Using both methods of installation together is actually dangerous (unless otherwise stated in both your vehicle manual and car seat manual). Car seat manufacturers prohibit use of both because it either was not crash tested with both or it was and it did not meet safety expectations. Many aspects can cause the car seat to fail to protect your child when using both methods at the same time. Here is a link to what can go wrong: https://www.howtosafety.com/safety-topics/car-seat-basics-proper-use/latch-or-seat-belt-not-both/
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"I leave the straps loose because they aren't comfortable when they're tightened."
Overtightening is common and can definitely be uncomfortable but leaving the straps loose puts the child at risk to be ejected from their car seat during a crash. Making sure the straps pass the pinch test before each ride is crucial in ensuring your child remains restrained. If you can pinch the webbing, it is too loose. To check for overtightening, slip a finger under the webbing at the shoulder.
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"Using the top tether is optional."
When installing a seat forward-facing, it is crucial to hook the top tether to your vehicle's tether anchor. This reduces your child's head and neck movement up to 8 inches in protecting their neck and spine.
"Their legs are too cramped and extended rear-facing can break their legs in a crash."
There is no study that shows this to be the case. However, if that were the case, a broken leg is better than a broken neck.
Resources, studies, evidence-based safety recommendations, and much more at csftl.org
