---

Child Safety Seat Inspection Recommended This Holiday Season

22 November 1999

National Safety Council Recommends Child Safety Seat Inspection Before Hitting The Roads This Holiday Season; Hotline Gives Parents Information on Local Child Seat Inspection Resources

    MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 22 -- With thousands of Minneapolis and St.
Paul families expected to hit the roads this holiday season, the National
Safety Council urges parents and caregivers to make sure their child is
properly buckled in his or her child safety seat.  Statistics show that an
estimated eight out of ten children are at risk in safety seats that are not
properly secured.  Unfortunately, many parents are simply not aware of the
danger their kids face.
    The National Safety Council has set up a toll free hotline at
1-800-452-4416 that provides parents and caregivers a list of resources in
their area where they can have their child safety seats inspected for free.
    "Traffic crashes are the number one killer of kids," said Chuck Hurley,
director of public affairs for the National Safety Council.  "This holiday
season let's keep our most precious cargo-children-out of harm's way," said
Hurley.

    Common Child Safety Seat Installation Mistakes
    According to the National Safety Council, there are several common
mistakes made when securing a child in a safety seat. These errors include:

    * Child safety seat not tightly secured
    * Harness straps loose
    * Seat belt not properly locked with locking clip, seat belt retractor or
      locking latchplate
    * Child not proper size for seat or seat facing the wrong direction
    * Locking clips in wrong place
    * Child safety seat placed in the path of an air bag

    Safety Tips
    Installing child safety seats is confusing. The National Safety Council
offers the following tips to help keep kids safe:

    * Kids of all ages are safest when properly restrained in the back seat,
      and never place a child safety seat in front of a passenger air bag.
    * Babies less than one year and less than 20 lbs., should ride in rear-
      facing safety seats in the back seat.
    * Babies less than one year and more than 20 lbs., should ride in a seat
      approved for heavier babies and continue to ride in rear-facing
      restraints until age one.
    * Children more than one year and at least 20 lbs. should ride in a
      forward-facing child safety seat.  Children more than 40 lbs. should
      ride in booster seats until they are big enough to "fit" in an adult
      seat belt (usually at 60-80 lbs.).
    * Old/used child safety seats should not be used unless you are certain
      they have never been in a crash, have all of the pieces (including
      instructions), and have been checked for recalls.
    * Parents and caregivers should always read both the vehicle owner's
      manual and the instructions that come with the child safety seat.
    * Most importantly, the "best" child safety seat is the one that correctly
      fits the child and the vehicle and is used correctly every time.

    For more information, please call Siobhan McCready at (202) 338-8700.