Car Seat Safety Tips and Child Passenger Safety Week

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Most of these deaths could have been prevented with the use of a car seat, using the correct car seat, and/or with the car seat being installed properly.

 Mark your calendars as September 17-23, 2023 is Child Passenger Safety Week. At the end of Child Passenger Safety Week is National Seat Check Saturday (September 23rd). This is the perfect time for parents to triple-check their little ones’ car seats to make sure that they are safe when riding in the car. Parents need to get information about car seats to make sure that they are up to date on everything from selecting the correct car seat to how to install the car seat in their car.

 Even if you think that you know everything there is to know about car seats, take the time to learn more about car seat safety. Car seat safety information is always being updated with new car seat testing research. So learn the facts about car seats and keep your kids safe. This information could save a child's life.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 

In 2021 ~ 710 children (under 13) were killed in passenger vehicles and more than 100,000 were injured. In 2021, more than a third (36%) of children (under 13) who died while riding in passenger vehicles were unrestrained. 

These are scary facts! To think that more than a third of children are not restrained in car seats. To think that using a car seat could have prevented a death or an injury. Then there are the children sitting in the wrong car seat for their height and weight who are getting injured. Worse yet, the car seat may not be installed properly or be expired/outdated.

Is your child in the correct car seat for their age?

 NHTSA urges parents and caregivers to protect their child’s future at every stage of life, by making sure they secure them in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight. Car seat laws and car seat safety are always changing so head here to make sure your child is sitting in the correct car seat ~ https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat. 

Find the perfect car seat for your child with Graco

I received a sample from Graco to facilitate this post. This page may contain affiliate links.

 There are many car seat brands available to select from. Do your research before buying a car seat. My favorite car seat brand is Graco. This is the car seat brand that my grandchildren ride in from the time they were newborns up to five years. My oldest grandchild is five and her first car seat was the Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 DLX Infant Car. 

When my daughter had baby number 2, she selected the Graco SlimFit3™ LX 3-in-1 Car Seat as it was a 3-in-1 car seat that could be used from 5 pounds up to 100 pounds. My daughter loved that this car seat can be used both rear-facing and forward-facing in the car. Check out my full review of the Graco SlimFit3™ LX 3-in-1 Car Seat. As a grandma, I love that Graco uses the most rigorous crash tests to protect my grandchildren while traveling in the car.

 Graco® ProtectPlus Engineered™ is a combination of the most rigorous crash tests that help to protect your little one in frontal, side, rear & rollover crashes, and additional testing based on the New Car Assessment Program and for extreme car interior temperatures.

 Grandbaby number three is on the way and the expected due date is at the end of February 2024. This grandma already has a Graco car seat for this baby. I selected the Graco Turn2Me 3-in-1 Car Seat for so many reasons, with the Turn2Me feature being one of my favorites. My daughter agrees that being able to turn the car seat makes it so easy to get the baby in and out of the car. Check out my review of the Graco Turn2Me 3-in-1 Car Seat.

What is the best car seat?

The best car seat should fit your child by age, size, and physical development. It should fit inside the vehicle and also meet all federal safety standards. Also, it should be comfortable for your child to sit in and the car seat should not be expired.

Did you know that car seats have an expiration date?

 Most car seats last between six and 10 years, but car seat expiration dates vary by manufacturer. The expiration date is often printed on the seat itself; if not, check the instruction manual for each car seat you own or give the manufacturer a call.

My oldest granddaughter's current car seat used to belong to my youngest son. While using a brand-new car seat is best, using a secondhand car seat is fine as long as you know the previous owner and can verify that the car seat has never been in a crash. Also, make sure to check the expiration date on the car seat sticker. 

 While selecting a car seat for the future grandbaby, my daughter decided to check the sticker on the oldest child's car seat. That is when she noticed that the car seat was about to expire. So it was time to replace the car seat. My daughter selected the Graco® 4Ever® DLX Grad 5-in-1 Car Seat. 

 Graco® 4Ever® DLX Grad 5-in-1 Car Seat Facts

~ Offers 5 modes of use and is designed to fit children ranging from infant to 12 years old.

~ This car seat is Graco® ProtectPlus Engineered™ to help protect in frontal, side, rear, and rollover crashes.

~ Perfect for Value-conscious families who want to only buy one car seat.

~ Slim Design for more backseat space

~ Removable Seat Belt Trainer gives assistance with correct seat belt fit until the age of 8 to 12 years old. 

~ SnugLock Technology helps install the car seat in less than one minute using the vehicle seat belt or LATCH.

~ No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust Harness helps adjust the height of the 10-position headrest and harness in one motion.

The Graco 4Ever® DLX Grad 5-in-1 Car Seat is one that will last my granddaughter for many years up until she is 12 years old. In fact, this car seat can be shared with her younger sister with the Removable Seat Belt Trainer. One child can use the Removable Seat Belt Trainer as a booster seat while the other child can use the car seat portion as a forward-facing car seat or a high-back booster seat. 

5 Facts About Child Passenger Safety

1. Road accidents kill children every day ~ The United States Department of Transportation has reported that in the year 2019 alone, road accidents killed two children under the age of 13 and injured around 374 every day.

2. Correctly installed car seats can reduce injury ~ In a car crash, correctly installed car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury in a car crash by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.

3. Child safety seat laws have saved lives ~ After being adopted by all states, seat laws have helped reduce fatal injuries to children by 35%.

4. A majority of seats are incorrectly installed ~ More than 50% of car seats are still not used or installed correctly, thus increasing the risk of injuries to child passengers.

5. Car crashes cause the maximum number of deaths ~ In the United States, car crashes are the leading cause of death among children.

How To Observe National Seat Check Saturday

1. Look up safety instructions online ~ The NHTSA website has a lot of information about child safety protocols. Make sure to go through them if you are traveling with a young passenger and implement the needful.

2. Spread awareness ~ Awareness can save lives. Share safety instructions and information on social media to help educate others.

3. Remember to register the car seat ~ Your car seats must be registered with the manufacturer either in person or online as they will send the repair service promptly in case of a defect.

Need a Car Seat?

 If you can't afford a car seat or know of someone who needs help. Please contact a local Safe Kids coalition near you to inquire about any free seat availability. The following link can help you find Safe Kids coalitions in your State. https://www.safekids.org/safe-kids-coalitions-united-states

Help keep kids safe and spread the word about Child Passenger Safety Week & National Seat Check Saturday ~ September 17-23, 2023