Health Dept. provides car seat help

VW County Health Dept. information

The Van Wert County Health Department wants to ensure children are secured properly in appropriate child safety seats – every trip, every time.

As many as 3 out of 4 child safety seats are installed improperly, according to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Failure to read the child safety seat instructions, in addition to vehicle owner’s manual instructions regarding installation, could result in serious injury or death as a result of a failure of the child safety seat to be securely and/or properly restrained.

“Child safety seats can frustrate many parents,” said Kim Haas, RN, who is a certified child passenger safety technician at the Van Wert County Health Department. “Fortunately, there are many resources available to assist parents to properly install their child’s safety seat. I urge you to seek the guidance of a child passenger safety technician.”

NHTSA offers a fitting station locator for Ohioans to find assistance to ensure their child’s safety seat is properly installed – http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm.

For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers can visit their local inspection station and refer to the following four “Steps for Kids” guidelines for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on their age and size:

1. For the best possible protection keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear facing until a minimum of age 1 and at least 20 pounds. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children remain rear facing until they’re 2 years old to offer them the best protection.

2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at a minimum age 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall).

4. When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall) they can use the adult seat belt in the back seat, if it fits properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).

Remember: All children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat.

For more information, contact the Van Wert County Health Department at 419.238.0808, extension 102 or 112.