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Car Seat Safety Tips for Protecting Your Child
Selecting the right car seat can mean the difference between life and death or minor injuries and serious injuries for your child. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that car seat use reduces the risk of death by 54 percent for children between 1 and 4 years old. Car seats must be used correctly to receive the maximum benefit.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has several recommendations for selecting and using child car seats. These recommendations include:
- Buying the right type of car seat. There are various car seat types for different age groups. For instance, infants and very small children should only use rear-facing car seats. Children can use forward facing or booster seats as they become older or grow in size. NHTSA has more information on selecting a car seat based on your child’s size and age. You should also try to avoid purchasing a used car seat.
- Installing the seat correctly. Many child car seats are not installed correctly. In such cases, seats will not perform as well during a crash. You should always use the manufacturer’s instructions for an installation. NHTSA has installation instructions on its website for different types of car seats. However, may also be able to take the seat to a police or fire station for a free installation. NHTSA allows you to search for free installation services on its website.
- Registering the car seat. You should register your car seat with the manufacturer and NHTSA. This will allow you to receive an immediate notification of any future recalls. You can register with the manufacturer on NHTSA’s website.
What If My Child Is Injured in a Car Accident?
Tragedy can strike even if you follow the steps listed above. Lampert & Walsh, LLC is a Denver personal injury law firm with years of experience handling car accident cases. If you have questions about filing a car accident lawsuit, you can speak to one of our attorneys at no cost during a free consultation.