What You Need to Know about Installing Your Childs Car Seat Properly

Research and studies over the decades have repeatedly shown that motor vehicle injuries, which are the leading cause of child deaths in the United States, can be effectively prevented with the use of child safety seats or car seats. Buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats and seatbelts reduces the risk of death to infants by 71 percent and to toddlers by 54 percent.

But, safety advocates say that when it comes to installing and using these child safety seats, there’s a pretty good chance that a number of us are doing it wrong. A nationwide field study of cars seat use and installation in 2011 found that 46 percent of car seats were installed or used incorrectly, based on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 4,167 inspections and driver interviews.

Common Mistakes Parents Make

The most common mistakes parents make are not installing car seats snugly enough or incorrectly positioning the chest clip. Here are a few other issues that are worth noting:

• Incorrect recline angle on rear-facing car seats. NHTSA’s study found that 16 percent of rear-facing infant seats and 12 percent of rear-facing convertibles were not installed with the correct recline angle in keeping with the manufacturer’s recommendations. The recline angle is important because it helps keep the baby’s airway open especially when an infant has little to no head control.
• Loose installation. According to the study, 17 percent of forwarding facing seats moved more than two inches from side to side at the belt path. To fix this issue, each time you use the seat, give it a firm tug at the belt path to see if it moves more than an inch. If it does move, push down on the bottom cushion and pull the latch strap to tighten.
• Lap belt sits on child’s abdomen when in a booster seat. This can be fixed by making sure that the lap belt sits on the child’s upper thighs and that the shoulder belt is on the chest, not the child’s neck.

If Your Child Has Been Injured

If your child has been injured in a Rhode Island car accident, please contact our experienced attorneys who can help protect your child’s rights. If you were using the car seat correctly and your child was still injured, it might be helpful to look into whether the car seat was defective. If that was the case, you may also be able to seek compensation for your losses from the manufacturer of the faulty seat.

Our law firm is working with some of the most experienced product defect attorneys in the country. There is no fee until you obtain a settlement or award. Please contact us toll-free at 1-800-992-6878 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.