Car Seat safety

Adrienne by law can go with out a booster, but she rides in one because without one she doesn't pass the 5 step test. (she is in the front seat for the ease of getting the shot, children 12 and under should never ride in the front.)

Car seat safety is near and dear to my heart. I wanted to share what I know with every one I love so they can keep there children safe as most people don't know as much as they should about the subject.

Did you know if you were involved in a crash and were traveling 30 miles per hour your 10 lbs baby would now weigh 300lbs!

Children 4 and under benefit the most from extended rear facing. There are car seats that rear face to 45 lbs.

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for children and adults 1 to 34 years of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics even recommends rear facing to the maximum height or weight which ever comes first or till at least 2 years of age. Rear facing is 5 times safer than forward facing!

A car seat is out grown rear facing when the childs head is one inch or less from the top of the hard shell of the car seat or until they have maxed out the height or weight for the model of convertible car seat they use.

Shoulder straps should be at or above their shoulders for forward facing and at or below for rear facing.
You shouldn't be able to pinch the straps vertically or they are too loose.
You should also never put the child in the restraint with a coat/snow suit or blankets between the child and straps. It can compress in a crash and then the straps will not be tight enough. You can use fleece jackets (they are approved by child passenger safety techs (CPST).

The reason to keep your toddler rear facing past the age of 1 yr is because in a crash there head whips forward and you risk internal decapitation a long with many other issues that can be life threatening. The spinal cord can only stretch a mere 1/4" before you risk paralysis and other neck injuries. Spinal ossification does not begin until about 3 years of age.

Children are also not ready to sit in a regular vehicle seat until they can past the 5 step test. The law is the minimum for safety standards and in other countries they are worlds ahead of us and there have much fewer deaths from car crashes because of it.

No child is ready for a tall back booster until the are at least 4 yrs old and 40 lbs.

When they are in the booster the shoulder strap must be used correctly. You can not just use a lap belt or put the shoulder belt behind them. Ever.

The 5-Step Test.

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

Lane was rear facing until 3 1/2years when he maxed out the weight of his car seat for rear facing. Rylin will be 2 years old this month and is currently still rear facing with a ton of growing room. My goal has been to keep them rear facing until 4 yrs of age and I got close with Lane and hope to reach it with Rylin. Also you don't have to have them reclined to the 45 degree angle once they have good head control and you can increase the recline to as much as 35 degrees. A child who is rear facing doesn't know any different and will not be uncomfortable or cry to be turned around.

This is a good link. Also you can google extended rear facing also there are great video's that show the difference in a ffing crash and a rfing crash.

Hope I have helped save a child's life with this blog post.