Since February is Child Passenger Safety Month we thought we would share some important information with you on how to keep your children safe while riding in the car. Amanda Kuhlmann, our Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, gives us what we need to know when keeping our little ones safe.

Child Passenger Safety Statistics:

• In 2004, 50 percent of child occupants who were fatally injured in crashes were unrestrained.
• An estimated 1,700 children’s lives were saved between 1996 and 2002 solely because they were seated in the rear.
• Children ages 2-5 who are prematurely graduated to safety belts are four times more likely to suffer a serious head injury in a crash than those restrained in child safety seats or booster seats.
• Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (younger than 1 year old) and 54 percent for toddlers (1-4 years old) in passenger cars.
• Estimates show that booster seats reduce the risk of injury by 59 percent compared with the use of an adult safety belt alone.
• In 2004, 451 lives were saved due to child restraints, 15,434 due to seatbelts, and 2,647 due to airbags.
• Nationally, 9 out of every 10 car seats are being used improperly. Is yours one of them?

• Infants should be rear-facing with an infant only seat or convertible car seat until at least age 1 and 20 pounds.  Be sure to check specific seat recommendations for weight and height limits. 
• Put the harness through the slots so they are even with or below the infant’s shoulders. Be sure the harness is tight so you can’t pinch extra webbing at the shoulder (“pinch test”).
• Adjust the harness clip to armpit level (this is also standard for forward-facing car seats).
• The car seat should not move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back (this is also standard for forward-facing car seats).
• The back seat of the car is the safest for ALL children, regardless of age.

• Put the harness through the slots so they are even with or above the child’s shoulders. Some seats require use of the top slots when the seat is forward-facing, so be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure the harness is tight so you can’t pinch extra webbing at the shoulder (“pinch test”).
• Adjust the harness clip to armpit level.
• The car seat should not move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back once installed.
• A child is too big for the seat when the shoulders are above the top slots, the tops of the ears are above the back of the seat or the weight limit is exceeded.

Booster Seats (40 to 80 or 100 pounds) 

• According to Missouri Law, effective August 28, 2006, a child must be in a booster seat if they are ages 4-7 years old, unless they are 80 pounds OR 4’ 9” tall.
• Some booster seats have a weight limit up to 100 pounds, so be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Use the vehicle’s lap AND shoulder belt on every booster seat. NEVER place the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.  

Safety Belts

• Be sure ALL occupants wear safety belts correctly every time. Buckle the lap and should belt. Ensure that the lap belt lies on the upper legs or hips and that the shoulder belt rests on the shoulder or collarbone. Children learn from adult role models.

If you would like to have your personal car seat checked by one of Ranken Jordan’s Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians please contact Amanda Kuhlmann, CTRS, CPST to schedule an appointment: (314) 872-6448.