Parents buy all kinds of gadgets and fixtures when expecting a baby. It can be fun to shop for baby clothes, toys and nursery items. But there are some items that parents should research before purchasing and practice how to use before baby arrives.
The Car Seat
Grandparents everywhere will make jokes and say things like, “I don’t know how you survived, when you were a baby we just held you on our laps or put you in a box on the seat.” While remembering “the good ole days” can be fun, it is not realistic to think that a baby in 2018 will be fine if riding on the lap of a loved one. Highways have changed. Passenger vehicles have changed. Our population has changed. Even the main causes of car accidents has changed!
Let’s think about it. A baby in 1974, riding on his mother’s lap would never be struck by an exploding airbag. That same baby in 2018 is riding in a vehicle designed with side, ceiling, driver and passenger airbags. These airbags are designed to minimize injuries to restrained adults and are adjusted to deploy at the approximate height of an adult’s head. The airbag explodes out of the car’s interior at 200mph. A force like that is almost certain to result in an infant’s death.
A baby in 1974 isn’t going to be involved in a head-on collision with another driver who was texting while driving.
A baby in 1974 is far less likely to be involved in an accident on an overcrowded highway with a posted speed limit of 75 mph.
Get my drift, roads have become MORE dangerous in the last 40 years, not safer.
So, my advice to parents, buy the safest car available and use it exactly as the manufacturer recommends to avoid making the following mistakes:
- Buying a Used Car Seat. Most used car seats don’t come with the manufacturer’s directions, or a certified history. If a car seat has been in a moderate or severe accident, it cannot be used again. It also may not have a label showing the manufacture date and model number. It has been recommended by NHSTA and CPSC not to use a car seat that is more than 6 years old.
- Installing the car seat in the front. The safest place to install a car seat is the middle of the back seat. This seat is the farthest away from the vehicle’s airbags. This spot should be reserved for the smallest child in the family. No child under the age of 13 and who is not at least 5 feet tall should ride in the front seat.
- Letting a child ride in a two-seat vehicle. Installing a car seat in the front seat will not save your child from the dangers of a collision. If a child has to ride in a vehicle that does not have a back seat, be sure to turn off the airbags. If this is not possible, do not let a child ride in the vehicle.
- Using an infant seat as a crib. Being strapped in a car seat for lengthy periods of time can causes serious health problems for your baby. Its best to take to your baby out of the infant seat upon arrival.
- Placing an infant seat on a chair or table with the baby in it. Babies can be seriously injured if strapped in a car seat that falls from an elevated surface.
- Strapping babies and toddlers into car seats while wearing bulky coats. Those soft puffy coats and blanket sleepers are great for keeping the little ones warm, but they can reduce the car seat restraints in a vehicle collision. These thick jackets can cause the car seats straps to be too loose. Its best to strap in baby tightly with the straps and drape a blanket over the child for warmth.
- Thinking of car seat transitions as milestones. My wife has shown me a dozen Facebook posts of children in booster seats, with captions like, “Happy 4th Birthday, time for a big boy booster seat!” Uh, no. Turning 2 or 4 or 8 doesn’t automatically mean that your child is ready to make a car seat transition. Car seat manufacturers have height and weight recommendations. Follow those until your child reaches the maximum height and weight specifications.
- Flipping baby around to forward facing before they are ready. It is tempting to turn baby around so that you can see them with the rearview mirror, especially if your baby is prone to crying. Resist the temptation, rear-facing is the safest way for your baby to ride.
- Allowing older children to ride on a booster seat without a 3 point harness. After your child meets the height and weight requirements, it is okay to move them into a booster seat. Wait as long as possible. If your child is likely to fall asleep in the car or has a hard time remaining upright, it is best to leave them in a seat that has a 5 point harness.
- Not asking for help. Most fire and police stations offer free car seat checks. Have your seats checked often, especially during the first two years.
If you or someone you loved has been injured in a car accident, call The Thomson Law Firm today for a FREE consultation. Find a Roanoke Lawyer who will aggressively represent you in your car accident case. (540) 777-4900.
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