AAA Warns Parents to Avoid Most Common Car Seat Mistakes

Parents urged to make sure their children are seated, safe and secure as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 11, 2009; Parents go to great lengths to make sure their children are safe. But when it comes to car seat safety, too frequently minor mistakes can put children at risk without parents realizing it.

To kick-off National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 12-18, AAA warns parents of the six common car seat mistakes. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children; however, 244 lives of children under age 5 were saved during collisions in 2008 because they were secured in a safety seat.

To help ensure their child is safe in a crash, AAA urges parents to guard against these mistakes.

  1. Not using a safety seat. Whether an infant, toddler or booster seat-age
     child, parents should always use the appropriate child restraint system
     every time their children are in a vehicle. Safety seats reduce the
     risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for
     toddlers. And, using a booster seat with a seat belt for older children
     instead of a seat belt alone reduces the risk of injury by 59 percent.
     Any child under age 8 or a height of 4 foot 9 inches needs some kind of
     safety seat in addition to the vehicle's seat belt.
  2. Not reading safety seat instructions. Three out of four car seats are
     installed incorrectly. With thousands of combinations of child safety
     seats and vehicle belt systems, it's important for parents to read both
     the vehicle owner's manual and the child safety seat instructions
     before installing a seat to ensure it's done properly.
  3. Using restraints for older children too soon. Whether it's turning an
     infant forward-facing or progressing into an adult seat belt, parents
     frequently advance their children into the stage of safety restraints
     too soon. Infants should remain rear-facing until they reach the upper
     weight limit of their rear-facing car seat--usually around 30 to 35
     pounds. At an absolute minimum, children should not be turned to face
     forward until they are at least age 1 and 20 pounds. All children under
     age 13 should be placed in the back seat.
  4. Installing safety seats too loosely. When a child safety seat is
     properly installed, it should not move more than one inch in any
     direction. Parents should use either the vehicle's seat belt or LATCH
     system to secure the safety seat--but not both, unless approved by the
     vehicle and car seat manufacturers. If using a seat belt, make sure it
     is locked to hold the seat snugly in place and use the tether when
     appropriate. Children should use a booster seat until an adult seat
     belt fits them properly--typically around age 8 or when the child is 4
     feet 9 inches tall.
  5. Adjusting seat harnesses incorrectly. Safety seat harnesses should
     always be snug and lie flat without twists. Harnesses should be at or
     below the child's shoulders when rear-facing and at or above the
     shoulders when forward-facing in order to hold the child's body upright
     and against the seat. The chest clip should be positioned at armpit
     level.

  6. Keeping loose items in vehicle. Any loose items in a vehicle, such as
     purses, laptop bags or umbrellas can become dangerous projectiles in a
     crash or sudden stop and cause severe injury to a child, other
     passengers or the driver. Make sure to secure loose items and provide
     children with only soft toys to play with in a vehicle.

AAA has a web site dedicated to helping parents understand how to properly keep their children safe inside a vehicle. Visit AAA.com/carseat for detailed information on how to select the proper safety seat for a child and where to get safety seats checked by trained professionals.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.