Credit Union of Ohio's Online Financial Magazine

What You Should Know About Child Safety Seats

Brought to you by Sentry Insurance

When driving with children in the car, you must have — and use — a child safety seat. While weight, height and age standards for car seats vary from state to state, all 50 states have child restraint laws. Here’s what you need to know about proper selection, installation and use of child safety seats.

Selection — Just as all children are different, so are car seat models. To select the safest seat, select the right one for your child’s age and size. There are three basic types of car seats available:

• Rear-facing seats: A child under age 1 and weighing 20 pounds or less should ride in a rear-facing seat.

• Forward-facing seats: A child can switch to a forward-facing car seat after turning age 1 and when weighing between 20 and 40 pounds.

• Booster seats: A belt-positioning booster seat should be used when your child has exceeded the height and weight limits of the child safety seat, but is still too small for using safety belts alone.

Installation — A car seat can only provide safety if it is installed correctly.

• Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions and guidelines.

• Route the safety belt through the correct belt path.

• Make sure the seat is buckled tightly. The seat should not be able to move more than one inch in any direction. If the seat is installed correctly but still shifts, you may need a locking clip, which comes with all new child safety seats.

• If you need help installing your child safety seat, visit www.seatcheck.org for a list of inspection stations.

Use — With each use, check that your child is appropriately buckled into the safety seat.

• Never use a rear-facing safety seat in the vehicle’s front seat. Air bag deployment can cause death in infants and small children.

• Use the correct harness slots and make sure harnesses are snug.

• Make sure harness straps lie flat.

• Adjust the straps for different clothing thickness. Your child should always be snug in the seat.

• Tuck blankets around, never under, babies after they are buckled in.

Using a car seat, and doing so correctly, can help increase protection for your child.

These safety resources are made available by Sentry Insurance a Mutual Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively “SIAMCO”) with the understanding that SIAMCO is not engaged in the practice of law, nor is it rendering legal advice. Sentry recommends that you obtain legal or expert assistance as appropriate. The information contained in these materials is distributed “as is”, without warranty or liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages caused or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly by the information.

Related Links:

• The Members Advantage program with Sentry Insurance