Click it Right, Click it Tight - Car Seat Safety
As a mom, I feel like half of my life is lived in the driver seat of the car. School, activities, shopping, play dates... you name it, and I'm running. When my kids were little, I put them in their car seat and buckled them up without a second thought to whether or not they were in the right seat. I trusted that they were safe – and kept moving.
Safety first
But I made mistakes. One time, I looked in the rearview mirror and realized at was looking at the beautiful face of my infant daughter. Under slept and overstressed with a husband deployed and a very busy 3 yo boy, I had clicked her carrier in backwards, e.g. facing forward. WHOA! Safety fail! Mommy fail! I was fortunate enough to be able to pull into a parking lot quickly and turn her around. It was a great reminder to always take the time to do it right.
Click it Tight, Click it Right
Did you know?
Every 33 seconds a child under 13 is involved in a car crash in the United States! I didn't know.Over half of car seats are misused in a way that could reduce their effectiveness and 1 in 3 children killed in car crashes are completely unrestrained at the time of the crash. I didn't know.What if my child had been in the wrong seat? And it's not just about making sure you use it right. Make sure that precious cargo is in the right seat.
Which car seat do you choose?
Infant, convertible, or booster seat? Finding the right car seat and installing it correctly is no easy task. Then there's the question of when to transition your child to another type of car seat.For me, the transition was the hardest part. Below is a great guide to getting it right.
Car Seat Safety
Step 1 -> Find the right car seat based on:
- Car Seat TypesLearn about the four types of car seats.
- Age & Size Recommendations (from birth to age 13)Follow these recommendations for selecting a car seat based on your child's age and size.
- Find a Car SeatCompare car seat makes and models using our Car Seat Finder tool.
- Car Seat Ease-of-Use RatingsEvaluate car seat features using our car seat ease-of-use ratings.
Step 2 -> Install your car seat correctly
- Follow these car seat installation tips to keep your child safe.
Step 3 -> Register your car seat
- Don't delay—register your car seat today to receive car seat and booster seat recall notices.
Step 4 -> Get recall notifications on your car seat
- Sign up to receive e-mail alerts about car seat and booster seat recalls from NHTSA.
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old.
