{"id":8042,"date":"2015-04-22T08:14:00","date_gmt":"2015-04-22T12:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/?p=8042"},"modified":"2019-07-01T09:53:38","modified_gmt":"2019-07-01T13:53:38","slug":"checklists-for-car-seat-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2015\/04\/22\/checklists-for-car-seat-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Car Seat Safety: Checklists for Proper Car Seat Use"},"content":{"rendered":"

My only job as a mommy<\/a> is to keep my kids safe, always. \u00a0And while this task is a constant give and take, evaluating situations and making decisions, there is one time in our day that I\u00a0never<\/em> make exceptions: in the car, I make sure that I’m always following the rules for proper car seat use.<\/p>\n

My kids buckle up in their car seats properly every.single.time. \u00a0No exceptions, ever. \u00a0If I don’t want to deal with buckling (or arguing about buckling), we walk or we don’t go. And my kids know there is no point in arguing, I will always win because I will never, ever give in.<\/p>\n

But proper car seat use and safety\u00a0goes so far beyond just doing the buckles. \u00a0Three out of four car seats in the US are used incorrectly and that is one of the main reasons why so many children die in motor vehicle accidents each year. \u00a0(Remember the little girl who hung upside down<\/a> above a rushing river for 14 hours and survived? \u00a0Thank her properly used car seat!)<\/p>\n

The most important thing you can to do to ensure proper car seat use and your child’s safety is to read the manual that comes with your car seat as well as the child safety seat section in your vehicle manual and make sure you understand it all (read it again and again if you have to!) and if you still need help, find a car seat technician<\/a> in your area to help you learn to install and use your seats.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest mistakes parents make is moving their children up into the next level of seat too early. \u00a0Children are safest (all of us, actually) in a rear-facing car seat and it is recommended that ALL children ride\u00a0rear-facing until at least age two and stay rear-facing as long as they fit within the rear-facing height and weight limits of their car seat or as close to 4 years as possible.<\/p>\n

4 seems really old to have a child rear-facing, as this is when many parents transition their kids to booster seats but 4 year olds rarely have the maturity to ride safely in a booster. \u00a0It is recommended that children remain in a harnessed forward-facing car seat until they are AT LEAST 5 years old and have the maturity to sit properly 100% of the time without wiggling, bending, reaching and falling out of position, even when sleeping.<\/p>\n

Children should then remain in a booster until they are 10-12 years old and can pass the 5-step test but children will not pass the 5-step test in all seats in all vehicles at the same time, they may still require a booster in some vehicles and seating positions.<\/p>\n

Here’s a handy chart for seeing what kind of seat your child should be using:<\/h2>\n

\"What<\/a>Once you’ve determined what type of car seat your child needs, use these handy checklists to make sure you’re following all the rules for proper car seat use:<\/h2>\n

\"Rear<\/a> \"forward<\/a> \"Booster<\/a><\/p>\n

And if you think your child is ready to be without a car seat or booster, use this checklist to see if he\/she passes the 5-step test:\"5-step<\/a><\/p>\n

You can find handy tips and tricks for ensuring your child is properly secured in their car seat here<\/a>\u00a0and a\u00a0lot of the information you need to know can be found in the car seat manual that came with your seat (if you’ve lost yours, you can request a free copy from the car seat manufacturer).<\/p>\n

While it’s recommended to keep your manual with your car seat, I often find I want to look at the manual when the seats are not with me or they are stored behind the seat where you can’t access them easily without uninstalling the car seat so instead I keep all my car seat manuals (and the extra small bits and pieces) together in one place so I always know where to find them.<\/p>\n

\"SONY<\/a><\/p>\n

I also keep all the extra bigger pieces (infant inserts, cup holders, rear-facing boots, etc.) that my children aren’t currently using together in a big plastic tub to keep them clean and prevent them from getting misplaced.<\/p>\n

\"SONY<\/p>\n

I’ve also developed a handy printable\u00a0Car Seat Information Recording Sheet\u00a0to keep all your important car seat information close at hand which you can download below:\"\"<\/p>\n

For more information, read all of Beyond Mommying’s posts on car seat safety\u00a0and proper car seat use.<\/a><\/p>\n

Download the Car Seat Recording Sheet:<\/h3>\n

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