Is Your Child In The Right Car Seat?

When I first learned to drive, I was told about black ice. I even watched a few videos about cars spinning out on black ice. But nothing prepared me for hitting it. I had all the kids in the car, and wasn’t even going that fast. But when the car spun out of control- I freaked out. My kids were buckled in their car seats correctly that ride – but since then I have been overly strict on them being in the right seat and buckled correctly because, as any car accident lawyer worth his salt will tell you, this can make a huge difference to any injuries sustained.

Do you know if your child is in the right seat? Is the seat installed correctly? If you aren’t sure about either of these questions or the answer is no, then I have some great news for you. Child Passenger Safety Week is coming up, September 17-23, 2017 and more than 1000 events are expected in 45 states across the country to raise awareness for proper car seat installation and usage. The week culminates in “Seat Check Saturday,” where Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will help parents and caregivers make sure their car seats are installed correctly. In most cases, this service is FREE.

The right car seat can make all the difference in a crash. Every 33 seconds* a child under 13 is involved in a car crash in the United States. Car seats, if used correctly, can dramatically reduce the risk of death or injury. But over half of car seats are either installed or used incorrectly, and 1 in 3 children killed in car crashes in 2015 was not in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt at the time of the crash.

To make sure you have the right seat for your child, visit NHTSA.gov/TheRightSeat, or find a Child Passenger Safety Week event in your area. During Child Passenger Safety Week, many communities will have Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians on-hand to provide education on how to use car seats, booster seats, and seat belts for children. To find events near you, including free car seat checks, visit bit.ly/CPSTech.

*According to 2015 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).