Car Seat Safety

The back seat of your car is the safest place for any child to ride. While air bags can save lives, kids riding in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed when an air bag comes out in a crash.

If it is absolutely necessary for a child to ride in the front seat with a passenger air bag:

Never put an infant (less than one-year-old) in the front seat.
Secure the child properly in the correct restraint.
Move the front seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
Never allow the child to lean toward the dashboard.

Did you know most crashes occur close to home on roads with low speed limits? When used correctly, car seats can prevent injuries and save lives.

Which car seat is right for your child? What type of safety belt is installed in your vehicle? What is a locking clip?

Take a minute to be sure your child is riding safely. Study your vehicle owner's manual and car seat instructions carefully.

Never secure an infant in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger bag*. The back seat is the safest place for kids of any age.
Send in the car seat registration card to be notified in case your car seat is recalled. If you have any questions, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline (800-424-9393).
Never use a car seat that has been involved in a crash.
Route the safety belt correctly through the car seat.
Correctly buckle the car seat into the vehicle.
Get a tight fit - the seat should not move more than one inch from side to side or toward the front of the vehicle.
Check your vehicle owner's manual to see if you need a locking clip. Not all safety belts will secure your car seat without it.

*Unless you have a manual cut-off switch and you have turned it off!

Some Facts You Should Know
Making your baby's world a safer place takes time and effort, but the rewards are worth it a hundred times over. Did you know that automobile crashes are the #1 cause of unintentional deaths in children? Following are some other safety tidbits every parent should know:

70,000 children are injured annually and 850 die annually.
Car seats reduce injuries by 70 percent and deaths by 90 percent.
Infant car seats should face the rear to help protect their bodies.
Follow car seat installation instructions carefully and completely.
Once you have protected your child, remember to buckle yourself up. Everyone needs to be protected in case a crash occurs.