Every Ride, Every Time: A Guide to Child Passenger Safety

Sept. 20-26 is Child Passenger Safety Week, a time dedicated to raising awareness about one of the most important ways parents and caregivers can protect children: ensuring they ride safely every trip, every time.

The statistics are hard to ignore. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper car seat use reduces the risk of injury in a crash by 71 percent to 82 percent when compared to seat belt use alone. Yet more than half of car seats are installed incorrectly, potentially reducing the protection they provide.

In addition, many children are moved to the next car seat stage before they have reached the height or weight limits of their current seat.

Understanding best practices for child passenger safety and ensuring your child's car seat is properly installed can make a lifesaving difference.

Installing a car seat can feel overwhelming, but taking the time to ensure it is installed correctly is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your child. Here are three key things to remember when installing a car seat:

1. Choose the Right Seating Position

When selecting a seating position for your child's car seat, several factors should be considered.

Many car seat manufacturers require a specific amount of space between the front vehicle seats and a rear-facing car seat. For taller drivers, this may make installation behind the driver's seat impractical or unsafe.

Families with multiple children in car seats should also carefully consider where each seat is placed. Because car seats vary in size and installation requirements, not all combinations fit well together.

Car seats should never be pressed tightly against one another. Ensuring there is space between seats allows each restraint to function independently and provide optimal protection during a crash.

Always consult both your vehicle owner's manual and your car seat manual to identify approved seating positions, anchor locations, and installation instructions.

2. Make Sure the Car Seat Faces the Correct Direction

Using the correct car seat orientation is essential for your child's safety.

Rear-facing only seats, such as infant carriers, should always be installed in a rear-seating position facing the back of the vehicle. Children should never ride in front of an active airbag, as deployment can cause serious injury or death, especially for rear-facing children.

If you are using a convertible or multimode car seat, take extra time to verify that you are using the correct installation method and belt path for your child's current stage.

Most manufacturers clearly label rear-facing and forward-facing belt paths on the seat, and detailed instructions can always be found in the car seat manual.

3. Use Only One Installation Method

Car seats should be installed using either the Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) system or the vehicle seat belt, unless specifically allowed by the car seat manufacturer.

Using both systems at the same time is generally not recommended and may affect how the car seat performs in a crash. Always follow the instructions provided in your car seat and vehicle manuals to ensure safe and secure installation.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends moving to the next car seat stage only after a child reaches the maximum height or weight limit of their current seat, rather than transitioning based solely on age.

For example, while many children are turned forward-facing at age 2, children who still fit within the rear-facing limits of their convertible seat are safest remaining rear-facing because it provides greater protection for the head, neck, and spine in a crash.

The same principle applies to every car seat stage.

As children get older, peer pressure may make them want to transition out of a car seat or booster before they're ready, but these decisions should always be based on proper fit and manufacturer guidelines.

You can find your car seat's height and weight limits in the owner's manual or on the label attached to the seat.

Before transitioning out of a booster seat, children should pass the Five-Step Test: (1) sit all the way back against the vehicle seat, (2) have knees that bend comfortably at the edge of the seat, (3) have a seat belt that fits properly across the shoulder and chest without cutting into the neck or face, (4) have feet that rest flat on the floor, and (5) be able to stay seated in that position for the entire ride, every time.

If the answer to any of these questions is no, the child should continue using a booster seat.

Remember, state laws establish minimum requirements, but they do not always reflect the safest option for every child. Following best-practice recommendations and choosing the restraint that best fits your child's height, weight, and developmental needs helps keep children as safe as possible on every ride.

The WVU Medicine Golisano Children's Injury Prevention Team will host a free car seat check event from 4 to 6 pm on Sept. 21 in the Children's Hospital E Lot.

Families that participate in a car seat check will be entered for a chance to win an Evenflo Revolve360 car seat.

Whether you have questions about child passenger safety, need assistance with your car seat installation, or want to make sure your child fits properly in their current seat, our certified technicians are here to help.

If you are unable to attend the event, appointments for car seat checks can be scheduled for another date.

To schedule an appointment or speak with a member of the team, call 304-554-8519 or email [email protected].